Interlaken, Switzerland: 19th International Symposium of Ballistics, 7–11 May 2001.The influence of eight different ignition systems on a high performance EI-Propellant in a 25 mm APFSDS-T / KBA-gun configuration was investigated. It could be shown that under identical firing conditions the ignition strongly influences important ballistic parameters like ignition delay time, temperature dependence of the gas production rate of the EI-Propellant and muzzle velocity.
In a special closed bomb the pressure development as a function of time was investigated for all eight igniter systems. Igniters with a fast pressure rise and a relative high equilibrium pressure are essential for the applied EI-Propellant to get best ballistic performance with lowest temperature dependence. To develop highly performing ammunition systems it is therefore necessary first to find an efficient and system-compatible ignitor for a propellant type and then optimize this propellant type to the ammunition configuration.
