Methods for determining burning or gas generation rates of plasma-augmented propellants with applications to electrothermal-chemical (ETC) guns

In this paper, the basic theory and methodology for determining gas generation and/or burn rates for propellants with and without plasma augmentation is presented. Methods discussed include indirect/dynamic approaches which provide information over a wide pressure regime and direct/static approaches which, although possibly more accurate than the dynamic methods, provide information only at discrete pressures. In addition, each of the methods is illustrated with an analysis of appropriate experimental data.<>