Combustion wave structure in heterogeneous solid propellants

On the basis of describing physicochemical processes in a mixed solid propellant combustion wave, mathematical techniques are suggested for heterogeneous media which make it possible to consider the heterogeneous and gas-phase combustion regimes for individual components in generalized chemical reaction kinetics and to consider their effect on combustion wave velocity. The agglomeration process for Al powder on a hot surface is studied experimentally by high-speed photorecording. A mathematical model is constructed for Al agglomeration in a combustion wave based on agglomeration mechanisms observed in experiments. The dependence of combustion rate on deformation is determined on the basis of an improved method for optical recording of combustion front movement for loaded specimens. The mechanism of the effect of stress on mixed solid propellant combustion rate is connected with activation of chemical bonds of the polymer matrix, which increases its destruction rate. Use of kinetic theory for the durability of polymers made it possible to obtain an analytical equation expressing the dependence of relative combustion rate on measured specimen deformation.