Experimental Evaluation of Erosive Burning in a Planar Combustor

Erosive effects in PBAN based composite propellants are investigated using a planar geometry. An adjustable port-to-throat area ratio allows high and low port Mach numbers to be evaluated at multiple pressures. Head, mid, and aft motor pressure instrumentation as well as aft burning rate measurements using an ultrasonic transducer are implemented to aid in ballistic reconstruction efforts. The current focus is to investigate erosive burning using the classical Lenoir-Robillard model and a ballistic element code over chamber pressures ranging from 300 psi to 600 psi and port Mach numbers from 0.1 to 0.6. Results and reconstructions of 5 tests are included and indicate that the Lenoir-Robillard model alone does not adequately describe burning rate for the current test conditions.