PROJECT TITLE :

Plasma Ignition Response for LOVA Gun Propellant at Low Loading Densities

ABSTRACT:

The ignition of LOVA gun propellants at low loading densities is of interest for future gun systems with insensitive modular charges. The ignition system in conventional propellant systems is historically optimized for prime loading densities. There's a need to be ready to control the ignition for the envelop of the system, to reduce unburnt propellant at low loading densities and, at the identical time, avoid pressure waves at high loading densities. Plasma ignition is attention-grabbing for this application, with the possibility to vary ignition energy and with the plasma plume penetrating deep into the propellant bed to attain uniform ignition. This paper presents results from plasma ignition experiments in a forty five-mm gun system, using NL008, an RDX-based mostly CAB-LOVA propellant. The plasma igniter may be a capillary jet type, driven by a pulse-forming network. A zero-dimensional model for the plasma igniter has been developed and can be mentioned in the context of the experiments.