Combustion customization strategy of mixed propellant charges for multi-material additive manufacturing: Simulation and experiment

Abstract

This paper addressed three major challenges in the customization of mixed propellant charges: optimal design, performance simulation, and manufacturing. Based on parametric modeling software Grasshopper, parametric models of propellants with highly complex geometries were endowed with combustion properties of multiple formulations, coupled with rapidly changing burning rate-pressure field during iterative combustion to achieve visual and integrated simulation of burning surface regression, form function, and combustion performance of mixed charges, providing convenient theoretical guidance for structural optimization design of customized strategies. Customized zones designed with complex geometries and multiple formulations co-constructed in one propellant were prepared by multi-material additive manufacturing techniques. Different customized zones of one or more propellants were superimposed in the design sequence to customize the combustion performance. Mixed charges for three cases of burning surface, burning rate, and joint control were discussed. The simulation results matched well with the experimental results, including the progressively random perforated combustion, variation of burning rate pressure exponent, and superimposed combustion of single and multiple charges with different customized zones. As an advanced engineering strategy urgently needed in chemical engineering, this work not only opens the door to matching performance simulation-driven design with MM-AM technologies but also serves as an efficient and common customization strategy from design to manufacture.

Keywords

• Mixed propellant charges
• Complex structure
• Integrated simulation
• Grasshopper
• Multi-material additive manufacturing
• Combustion performance