IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,906,848
Granted Patent B2
US 10,906,848 · App. 15/466,893 · Granted Feb 2, 2021

Propellant grain for optimizing the interior ballistic performance of a weapon

Inventors: Paul J. Conroy (Churchville, MD); Raymond A. Wildman (Wilmington, DE); Eric J. Robinette (Wilmington, DE); John R. Schmidt (Bel Air, MD); Andrew T. Gaynor (Baltimore, MD)
Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
C06B21/0033C06B45/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,906,848
App. No.
15/466,893
Granted
Feb 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of manufacturing and optimizing energetic propellant grains includes generating an optimal surface area to mass fraction burned ratio profile for a predetermined solid structure including propellant grains; using the profile as a target function of a topological optimization process to generate a 3D form of a propellant grain; developing a negative of the 3D form of the propellant grain; mixing and densifying the negative with an energetic material in an uncured form in a mixer to create a structure including the energetic material and embedded negative; and solvating the negative from the structure, wherein the negative comprises a 3D propellant grain. The developing of the negative of the 3D form of the propellant grain may occur using a predetermined material in an additive manufacturing process. The negative may be soluble in the predetermined material, and the energetic material may be insoluble in the predetermined material.

Claims (13)

1. A method of manufacturing and optimizing energetic propellant grains, said method comprising:

generating an optimal surface area to mass fraction burned ratio profile for a predetermined solid structure comprising propellant grains;

using said profile as a target function of a topological optimization process to generate a three-dimensional (3D) form of a propellant grain;

developing a negative of the 3D form of said propellant grain;

mixing and densifying said negative with an energetic material in an uncured form in a mixer to create a structure comprising said energetic material and embedded negative; and

solvating said negative from said structure, wherein said negative comprises a 3D propellant grain.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the developing of said negative of said 3D form of said propellant grain occurs using a predetermined material in an additive manufacturing process.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said negative is soluble in said predetermined material, and wherein said energetic material is insoluble in said predetermined material.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said optimal surface area to mass fraction burned ratio is at least 5.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating of said optimal surface area to mass fraction burned ratio profile for a predetermined solid structure comprises a constant pressure IB profile.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said 3D form of said propellant grain comprises a solid contiguous structure.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said mixer comprises a resonant acoustic mixer (RAM).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said 3D form of said propellant grain comprises a rocket motor grain.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2017
From: CONROY, PAUL J.; WILDMAN, RAYMOND A.; ROBINETTE, ERIC J.; SCHMIDT, JOHN R.
To: ARMY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE
Reel/Frame 042284/0911 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2017
From: GAYNOR, ANDREW T.
To: ARMY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE
Reel/Frame 042284/0978 →
Continuity (1)
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