Thermal Study of 155 mm Gun Barrel: A Review

Abstract

Thermal analysis of 155 Gun barrel is an important aspect of designing the gun barrel and deciding the maximum firing rate. The performance of any artillery depends upon the thermal behaviour of the gun barrel among various factors, and its availability for continuous firing depends on the maximum bore temperature and cook-off time of the barrel. In this paper, the effect of maximum bore temperature, cook-off, active cooling is reviewed. Heat transfer to the gun barrel surface is calculated using analytical analysis with given ammunition parameters. Analytical and finite element analysis of maximum bore temperature and cook-off time is also included. Finite element analysis of external Jacket water cooling of the barrel shows that the gun can fire continuously at three rounds per minute without reaching cook-off temperature.


(a) Temperature-time curve, and (b) Heat transfertime curve 6 .
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a) shows that the maximum bore surface temperature reduces from 900°C to 600°C after firing 40 rounds while using modified ammunition with wear-reducing additives. Initially, the barrel was at ambient temperature. As firing starts, it takes some time for additives to stick to the bore surface and reduces heat transfer to the barrel surface after firing a good number of rounds. Figure 2(b) shows that if the pre-heated barrel is used for firing, the effect of wear-reducing additives starts appearing after firing ten rounds only as the wear-reducing additive layer forms earlier due to high temperature. The maximum bore surface temperature reduces from 900°C to 600°C after firing ten rounds while using modified ammunition with wearreducing additives in the pre-heated barrel.
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(a) Maximum bore temperature for propellant N, and M fired in un-heated barrel and (b) Maximum bore temperature for barrels heated to about 120°C 6 .
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Temperature variation at inside and outside surface of barrel with time.
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