Vacuum Casting Study of Solid Propellant Slurry With Simulation and Experimental Methods

ABSTRACT The casting process of solid propellants is recognized as a principal factor affecting both combustion performance and mechanical properties, where specific design variations in flower plates exert significant influences. The impact of different flower plate geometries on vacuum casting processes is investigated in this study. Four geometric configurations with equivalent flow areas (20% sector‐shaped, circular, square, and rectangular with 2:1 aspect ratio) are established. Flow characteristics of slurry through various flower plates during casting are numerically simulated using finite element method based on the Carreau constitutive model equations, followed by experimental validation according to simulation parameters. The simulation results demonstrate that optimal flow performance of propellant slurry is achieved in circular apertures, attaining a maximum velocity of 0.717 m s −1 with superior uniformity in pressure gradient boundaries and wall shear stress distributions. Deviations between simulated and experimental casting times and temperatures are quantified as 8.08% and 7.14%, respectively. The reliability of the simulations is verified.