Experimental design of 25 mm integrated simulator for small scale plasma-propellant charge matching test

In the past decade, there was much experimental and demonstration progress for the application of electrically generated plasma ignition for the medium and large caliber electrothermal chemical (ETC) guns. While the advantages of plasma ignition has been proved during a lot of firing test, the application of electrothermal chemical launchers is not yet emerging in more efficient weapon system. Actually, the development of ETC gun system has always encountered with much more challenges not only from gun system itself, but also from propellant charge system. The plasma-propellant interactions have been investigated intensively in academic circles recently. However, it is still necessary to conduct the matching tests to validate the ETC gun application for the emerging insensitive high energy propellants with high loading density. Therefore, we designed a set of test rig for the matching test between the plasma ignition and insensitive high energy propellant charge in 25 mm projectile firing test simulator ignited by the plasma. The whole simulation test system consists of a set of small pulse power supply system, a plasma generator, a 25 mm integrated simulator and a set of measurement system for pressure and electrical parameters record. According to the purpose of experimental parameters test, the integrated simulator can be altered to closed bomb, interrupted burning bomb or projectile firing simulator with a short barrel by assembling a special bolt in opposite of ignition end of integrated simulator. The main purpose of the test rig is to demonstrate the plasma ignition of insensitive high energy propellant charge and matching properties of the whole simulation test system. It is hopeful that the small-scale demonstration test results could save the experimental time and research effort in the actual firing test for the medium and large caliber gun insensitive high energy propellant charge with high loading density.