Ignition response of NEPE-based propellants under drop weight through experiments and numerical simulation

Experimental and numerical studies were conducted to investigate the effects of drop height on the ignition mechanism of NEPE nitrate ester plasticized polyether-based propellants. A modified drop-weight system was equipped with a high-speed camera to capture the ignition response images during the whole impact process. A macro-mesoscopic thermomechanical model considering the microcrack and viscous shear flow hotspot formation mechanism was established. The experimental results showed that the ignition responses of the propellants heavily depended on drop height, and the main ignition mechanism was viscous shear flow. The whole loading process could be summarized into three stages: radial extension (viscous shear flow), macroscopic crack initiation and ultimate failure (multiple macroscopic cracks or ignition). The ignition threshold was 35 cm. The posttest scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images further revealed that viscous shear flow played an important role in the ignition of propellants. The numerical simulation results indicated that viscous shear flow was the dominant ignition mechanism compared with the microcrack hotspot mechanism. Point A (along L₁) was the most dangerous location under the drop-weight experiment. The predicted features of ignition evolution were consistent with the experimental results and prove that the critical drop height of ignition was 35 cm.