Integration of Complex Geometry Gun Propellant Form Function Calculation and Geometry Optimization

Abstract To take full advantage of the additive manufacturing technology, an integrated and efficient approach of complex geometry gun propellant form function calculation and geometry optimization design based on Grasshopper (GH) software was proposed as a first attempt to obtain the closed‐loop of geometric optimization forward design with performance as the goal and algorithm as the means. The burning surface regression simulation and form function calculation of the entire multi‐perforation gun propellant family, multi‐perforation web thickness uneven gun propellant family, mixed gun propellant charges were demonstrated by using the parametric model of GH software. With the highest combustion progressivity as the optimization objective, the genetic algorithm in GH software was used to geometrically optimize the parametric model of multi‐perforation gun propellant family, and then the entire multi‐perforation with ball gun propellant family was obtained. The closed vessel test result showed that the form function calculated by the GH approach was in better agreement with the test curve than that of the analytic method. The integral form function of the mixed gun propellant charges was calculated firstly and proved by the interior ballistic performance calculation. The combustion progressivity of rosette‐shaped 19‐perf with ball gun propellant was significantly improved compared with that before geometry optimization, with the ball‐tube, ball‐ball, and ball‐ball‐ball structure increasing by about 15.0 %, 17.7 %, and 17.7 %, respectively. The integrated and efficient approach was dynamically visualized in real‐time and required no learning of conventional scripting‐type programming, providing the basis for the design and application of gun propellant with any complex geometry.