Simulation of gelled propellant doughs isothermal flow through filtration screens and breaker plates using finite difference method

Abstract The optimization of the extrusion process of gelled propellants is usually carried out by numerical modelling, as a consequence of the complex geometry of extrusion die and the nature of phenomena involved in this process. It can help to analyse the shear flow of propellant doughs during the extrusion process, and the effect of the geometry of certain elements such as breaker plates, die lands and extrusion channels. In this work, numerical simulation is applied to study the first stage of ram extrusion process, in which the filtration and homogenization of the propellant dough is produced. The proposed model serves to deduce the configuration of breaker plates that enhance the shear flow of double-base propellant doughs in ram extrusion.