Ballistics Flashcards
What is internal ballistics?
The scientific study of the operating process within the gun from the moment that the propellant is ignited until the projectile leaves the barrel
What are the 4 phases of ballistics?
Interior
Intermediate
Exterior
Terminal
What are the 3 objectives of internal ballistics?
Launch the projectile safety
Consistent performance between shots
Achieve the highest possible muzzle velocity
What is muzzle press?
Peak over pressure at the muzzle upon breakage of the projectile bore seal
What are the 4 phases of internal ballistics?
Charge ignition
Combustion prior to projectile motion
Combustion up to the all burnt point
Gas flow and projectile motion after all burnt point to muzzle
Explain charge initiation?
- the propellant is usually initiated by either a percussion or electrical primer
- the primer releases hot gases and particles into the charge
- the hot gas flow causes the propellants surface temperature to increase
- this hot gas flow is like a blast wave through the chamber
- the gas flow also increases the pressure within the chamber
- the high temperature and pressure causes the propellant to initiate
The primer needs to ensure consistent and effective charge initiation or otherwise what will happen?
Irregular initiation will lead to misfires and variations between shots
What is primer leakage?
Pressure loss due to the primer in the cartridge case not providing obturation
The primer must what 2 things?
Provide obturation to avoid pressure loss
Withstand the initiation forces (firing pin impact), pierced primer
What does piobert’s law describe?
The surface of deflagrating propellants will recede layer by layer in a direction normal to the surface
Explain burning rate?
Is the rate at which a granule reduces in size as the burning of that granule occurs on all sides
What is pressure index?
Coefficient which relates to changes in burning rate to changes in pressure
What is burning characteristics of propellant composition?
Burning rate
Pressure index
Force constant
Co-volume
What is burning characteristics of propellant granule?
The ballistic size
The form function
What is co-volume?
The volume occupied by the molecules of a kg of propellant in a gaseous state
What is force constant?
A measure of the pressure which a unit mass of propellant produces in a fixed volume
Force constant = what?
Force constant = maximum pressure X effective volume of closed-vessel / mass of propellant
What is ballistic size?
Is the shortest distance between any two points on the surface of a propellant granule
What is form function?
How the surface area of a propellant grain of a particular shape changes during combustion
What type of propellant will effect the internal ballistic phase?
Single vs double
7 Characteristics of propellant?
Burning rate Pressure index Co volume Force constant Ballistic size Form function Single vs double