ANALYSIS OF PRESSURE WAVES IN GUN BARRELS USING A MESHLESS METHOD

Abstract

In this study, the projectile motion in the interior ballistic regime is numerically simulated using a moving grid axisymmetric second-order Euler Finite Volume solver. A gridless method involving moving discrete points is validated against the experimental results of an M107, Zone 5 shell fired through an M198 cannon. The algorithm for solving Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) equations based on clouds of points in the computational domain is used. The Harten, Lax, van Leer, Contact (HLLC) scheme extended into the gridless method is used to calculate the numerical fluxes along with Van-Leer limiter for avoiding spurious oscillations. The muzzle velocity and peak pressures computed by the Gridless solver are in good agreement with the experimental results. Further, the current solver is used to study the effect of SSP and shell mass variations on the flow dynamics and pressure rate change in the combustion chamber.