Abstract
Grain configurations for solid propellant rockets are classified by relative web thickness and mean vector direction of burning surface into a topological continuum. This ranges from the thin web dendrite (web equal to 1/6 of charge radius and entirely in the cross-section plane) thru the wagon-wheel- and star-perforated grains (1/4 to 1/2 web range and partial use of end effects in burning surface area control) to the slotted, conocyl, and finocyl grains (web 0.6–0.8 of radius and burning front partially in the axial direction). These geometrical principles relate to the mission by the ratio of thrust-to-duration squared (F/t 2) which requires a dendrite grain for F/t 2≈ 3000 1bf/sec2 and a slot or finocyl for F/t 2≈ 30 1bf/sec2. This effect is counterbalanced by the range of burning rates available. Burning rate, relative web thickness, chamber pressure, length-to-diameter ratio, and volumetric loading affect F/t 2 attainable in a descending significance. The prevailing style of grain design in any era, although optimized mathematically within itself, depends more on technological breakthroughs in materials and propellant properties, than on factors of ballistic performance. Grain design is primarily a graphic subject. There are two aspects: performance attributes and description of the grain configuration.
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Billheimer, J.S., Wagner, F.R. (1970). The Morphological Continuum in Solid Propellant Grain Design. In: Partel, G.A. (eds) Space Engineering. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 15. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7551-7_28
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