Erosive Burning Study of Composite Solid Propellants by Turbulent Boundary-Layer Approach

Erosive burning of composite solid propellants is investigated by analyzing a steady, two-dimensional, chemically reacting, turbulent boundary layer over a propellant surface. Predicted erosive burning rates agree closely with experimental data. The erosive burning rate augmentation is found to be caused by the increase in heat feedback introduced by the increase in transport coefficients, and the turbulence enhanced mixing and reaction of the oxidizer and fuel gases. The increase in freestream gas velocity brings the location of the peak turbulence intensity and the heat release zone closer to the propellant surface, thereby increasing the burning rate of a propellant.