Study on Enhanced Combustion by Mixed Loading of Combustible Cartridge Case and Propellant

To systematically investigate the combustion characteristics of combustible cartridge cases and propellants under various charge configurations, an experimental study was conducted employing two novel combustible cartridge cases (designated as K1 and K2) and two distinct propellants (F1 and F2). The research focused on analyzing the structural properties of the combustible cartridge cases, as well as evaluating their combustion behavior, thermal decomposition characteristic, and interior ballistic performance across different charge architectures. Results demonstrate that the novel combustible cartridge case features a porous structure, which significantly enhances its combustion efficiency and leads to an irregular osmotic combustion process. Closed-bomb tests reveal that the K1+F1 combination achieves a peak pressure of 205.6 MPa under equal-proportion mixing, which is superior to other combinations. Additionally, increasing the proportion of combustible cartridge cases improves the pressure rise rate during the initial combustion phase and accelerates the attainment of peak pressure. Ignition experiments and thermal decomposition analyses indicate that, compared to single-propellant systems, the composite charge structure exhibits a more intense but shorter combustion process with higher energy release, albeit with a slight reduction in thermal stability. Interior ballistic tests conducted at varying temperatures confirm the stable performance of the composite charge structure comprising combustible cartridge case K1 and propellant F1, with further performance enhancements observed at elevated temperatures. These findings provide valuable insights for the design and optimization of large-caliber gun charge systems, highlighting the importance of charge configuration in achieving desired combustion and ballistic performance.