Abstract

Solid fuel is the first choice to propel the rockets for the area weapon Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) due to ease of design, manufacturing, handling, packaging, transportability and deployability. It also has the capability of prolonged storage without noticeable degradation of its quality. It is also quite safe and does not pose safety hazards. Tactically it suits the requirement of very fast response time and generates high thrust for small duration. Composite modified double base propellant (CMDB) is preferred in MBRL due to wide range of favorable mechanical properties including superior strain capability. Properties of composite propellant may be tailor made by changing the compositions and compound rate. Various failure modes of this propellant are found to be thermal cycling, handling and transport vibrations, ignition shock and pressure loading, launch and flight acceleration, flight maneuver, high speed maneuver, environmental condition etc. All these causes unsymmetrical stress distribution and may lead to failure. Bond strength within the propellant and between the propellant and inhibitor material is very important parameter to control mechanical failure. For safe design the bond strength should be more than the ultimate tensile strength of the propellant. This criterion is satisfied in the present case for the CMDB propellant of MBRL.