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Estimation of thermophysical properties of solid propellants based on particle packing model

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Abstract

A method for the estimation of thermophysical properties of two- and multi-phase solid propellants is proposed in this paper. The theoretical solutions for thermal conductivity and specific heat of a homogeneous solid propellant cell in the transient thermal conductivity process are deduced on the condition that one boundary of the cell is heated while others are adiabatic. A homogenization theory and the finite element method are employed to compute the mean temperature and heat flux of a representative volume element (RVE). According to the mean results and the theoretical solutions, the effective thermal conductivity and specific heat of solid propellant can be estimated. A packing algorithm, considering the solid particles (ammonium perchlorate (AP) or aluminum) as spheres or discs, is used to match the size distribution and volume fraction of solid propellants, and some mesoscopic models of two-phase and three-phase solid propellants are established. According to the estimation theory proposed in this paper, the effective thermal conductivity and specific heat of solid propellants are predicted. The effect of AP or Al volume fraction is also discussed in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Astronautics, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, 100191, China

    JianWei Zhang & Bing Sun

  2. China Airborne Missile Academy, Luoyang, 471009, China

    ShiJun Zhi

Authors
  1. JianWei Zhang
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  2. ShiJun Zhi
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  3. Bing Sun
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Correspondence to JianWei Zhang.

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Zhang, J., Zhi, S. & Sun, B. Estimation of thermophysical properties of solid propellants based on particle packing model. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 56, 3055–3069 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-013-5368-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-013-5368-1

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