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ISSN Druckformat: 2150-766X
ISSN Online: 2150-7678
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OPTIMIZATION OF THE MECHANICAL AND COMBUSTION PROPERTIES OF A NEW GREEN AND INSENSITIVE GUN PROPELLANT USING DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTS
ABSTRAKT
A Mixture DOE plan was designed to optimize the formulation of a new low-vulnerability ammunition (LOVA) propellant by maximizing both its mechanical and combustion properties when compared to a reference (M1-0.025) propellant. The main ingredients of the LOVA were octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), nitrocellulose (NC), cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), acetyl triethyl citrate (ATEC), and a stabilizer. The low-high levels of each varied parameter were 5.7−14% for NC, 3.7−12% for CAB, and 8.3−10.3% for ATEC, while the HMX was fixed at 72%. The mechanical properties (Young's modulus, YM, expressed as relative percentage to M1 modulus) of the propellant grains were measured using a drop-weight test (DWT). The regression model for this parameter consisted of three main effects and one double interaction. The optimal region for the YM corresponded to a composition as follows: NC ≥ 14.0%, CAB = 3.7−5.7%, and ATEC = 8.3−10.3%. The combustion properties (relative quickness, RQ, and burning rate, BR), expressed as percentage of the M1 reference propellant, were measured using a closed vessel. The optimal composition with regard to RQ and BR was located in the region NC = 10.0−13.0%, CAB = 3.7−8.0%, and ATEC = 8.3−10.3%. On the basis of the analysis of the two surface responses, there is a region where the mechanical properties are good (~81%) and the RQ is very close to the targeted value (103%). Accordingly, a new optimized propellant was formulated and showed a measured Young's modulus of 89% and an RQ of 111%, both relative to the properties of the M1-0.025 propellant.
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Szala Mateusz, Development trends in artillery ammunition propellants, Materiały Wysokoenergetyczne / High Energy Materials, 2020. Crossref