What are we going to talk about?

well start with pointing out the subject of the simulation, that is the physical model. Firstly, we have the real model, and then the model we created in the specialized software. We also have the mathematical view of the problem then, we run into the implementation of the experiment starting with the determination of the powder characteristics Ill present the experimental launchings Well also talk about the effective fluent simulation Obviously we have some results, with comments and conclusions

- This is the marking device drawed in solidWorks.

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The grenade movement initiation is achieved by the accumulation of a gas pressure into an inferior chamber under the grenade, pressure obtained by burning a quantity of 0.4 grams of black powder. The aspects that have been taken in account for the simulation are the material properties of the solid components (that is the powder) which undergo by combustion a phase transformation and the material properties of the compressible fluids (that is the combustion products and the air), and also the solid materials which form the launching cylinder, the cartridge and the grenade.
- The bidimensional assembly model was realised in GAMBIT, the pre-processor for geometry modelling and finite volume network generating. To mesh the domains, the network type was a 2D triangular elements pavement. For the inferior chamber, representing the burning space, we used a dynamic mesh, which allowed the domain to transform relatively to the way the powder deflagration, the transport movement and the interactions (elastic collisions) evolve. - Also, this network element dimensions were smaller, for a better precision. To ease the calculation, we decided to represent the cartridge, which is formed by small powder elements, by a hemisphere. Also to reduce the calculation time, due to the fact that the assembly has a symmetry axis, we only half represented the geometry. in Fluent, we could set up to display the real model.

This simulations starting point is described by the model of a non-lethal grenade, which is vertically launched from a launching cylinder, together forming the presence marking device.

- The purpose of this grenade is to confirm and to mark the presence of intruders into restricted access areas, to discourage the terrorist actions which imply planting mines and improvised explosive devices in the operation theatre. It is manufactured from non-lethal materials, little dangerous. Also, the explosive quantity used is minimised, to reduce the injury risk.

- the solving procedure of the problem is based on finite volume method, using the Fluent program. The software has two possibilities of solving the problem: pressure based or density based. Because of the problem complexity and due to the fact that the pressure based solver offers a quicker way to solution, we have chosen this method. the inserted equations into the pressure based method are the known ones:

- Firstly, it has been necessary to determine the physical properties of the powder gases, using a thermodynamic calculation. Starting from the black powder decomposition equation, we could determine the molecular mass, the specific heat, the conductivity and the dynamic viscosity of the resulting gas Using MATLAB program, the obtained data have been projected into graphics, thus determining the possible variation equations.

- Because of the fact that the gases generated by the black powder have high pressures and temperatures, the ideal gas law couldnt describe in a satisfactory manner the real phenomenon. This is why we used the real gas law of state:

- The main disadvantage of the pressure based method available in Fluent is that it doesnt contain any way to define and work with a real gas. This aspect leaded to the implementation of a mathematical model into C language, using the determined variation equations, through which the pressure based solver leaded to obtaining a correct solution for a real gas flow, both into the launching cylinder and the ambient environment, after quitting the tube.

the powder type used for the experiment was military powder, with the above characteristics.

To achieve a real comparison model, we proceeded to perform several experimental launchings. Thus, we could determine the vertical velocity of the analyzed body, after quitting the launching cylinder. Using some images captured by a high speed camera, we could obtain, from the experimental shooting, an approximation of the vertical velocity in the air for the real grenade, by extracting the high position of the body on different moments in time

- Using some images captured by a high speed camera, we could obtain, from the experimental shooting, an approximation of the vertical velocity in the air for the real grenade, by extracting the high position of the body on different moments in time.

- Using this data, there have been traced curves of variation for the grenade velocity on its vertical trajectory.
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- The triangular network characteristics before and during the beginning of the simulation are found in the table above
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These graphics leaded to the conclusion that, because the gas pushing force is much greater that the gravity force by the order of hundreds time, the last one can be neglected, considering that the projectile displace with approximately constant velocity until breaking in the air, at approximately 2 meters above the ground. This velocity has been determined to be approximately 20 m/s.

During the simulation, because of the permanent change of the working domain, there have been registered variations of this data, in other words, the number of cells, faces and nodes multiplied.

We had the effective simulation of the grenade vertical launch phenomenon and the propelling powders combustion running on a Pentium IV, XP operating system, on which there were installed version 6.3 of Fluent and version 6 of Visual Basic.

- The main objectives of this research stage consisted of finding an optimal problem configuration related to the graphical design and also related to the C programming. We pursued to obtain a coherent vertical movement and the realistic representation of the black powder combustion. - In this stage, the evolution of this transformations have been tracked over 20000 steps, the equivalent of a vertically displacement of 45 cm, during 15 ms. - There have been numerically tracked: the medium pressure value, the powder charge radius, the body displacement speed and its position. Also, there have been graphically tracked the pressure, temperature and velocity variations of the phenomena encountered during the experiment. From the acquired data by the program during the simulation, there have been realized space-time graphics for the items of interest: pressure, force, velocity and acceleration - From the acquired data, there have been realized space-time graphics for the items of interest: pressure, force, velocity and acceleration

- Also, there have been graphically tracked the pressure, temperature and velocity variations of the phenomena encountered during the experiment.

The use of the Fluent simulation program facilitated: - Adopting and using a real gas though C language, taking in count the covolum of the real powder gases and the fact that the parameters of the gas generated in the launching cylinder are variable with the temperature; - The possibility of modelling the real movements that happen in the launching cylinder (combustion of the powder elements, movement of the powder elements in the launcher and outside of it etc.), using the option dynamic mesh; - The possibility to gather data from different points of the calculation domain and writing them in external files through the C program, in order to validate the theoretical model;

In the images above, there can be observed different stages of pressure and temperature during the simulation. Given the construction of the system, there can be observed the existence of two combustion gas dissipation chambers the chamber inferior to the body and the chamber that forms immediately under its bottom, through the circular central slot that permits the hot gases to leave the first chamber. The gas transfer phenomenon leads to creating a high pressure chamber and a low pressure chamber. From the achieved animations, we can observe the hot gases dynamics.

- The evaluation of some quantities (mass flow, gas pressure on different surfaces, heat quantity etc.), in order to rigorously control the formulated model. - The simulation also represents an inexpensive way to determine detailed characteristics of the phenomena that produce when launching the grenade. - We can conclude that the results obtained from the simulation are satisfactory, in accordance with the estimated values in the real phenomenon.