A new 3D computational model for shaped charge jet breakup

This paper reviews prior 1D and 2D axisymmetric, analytical and computational studies, as well as empirical studies of the shaped charge jet particulation problem and discusses their associated insights and problems. It proposes a new 3D computational model of the particulation process, based upon a simplified version of the observed counter-rotating, double helical surface perturbations, found on softly recovered shaped charge jet particles, from both copper and tantalum jets. This 3D approach contrasts with the random, axisymmetric surface perturbations which have previously been used, to try to infer the observed length distribution of jet particles, on the basis of the most unstable wavelength concept, which leads to the expectation of a continuous distribution of particle lengths. The 3D model, by its very nature, leads to a non-random, periodic distribution of potential initial necking loci, on alternate sides of the stretching jet. This in turn infers a potentially periodic, overlapping, multi-modal distribution of associated jet particle lengths. Since it is unlikely that all potential initial necking sites will be activated simultaneously, the 3D model also suggests that longer jet particles containing partial, but unseparated necks, should be observed fairly often. The computational analysis is in its very early stages and the problems involved in inserting the two helical grooves and in defining the initial conditions and boundary conditions for the computation will be discussed. Available initial results from the 3D computation will be discussed and interpreted.