Design, fabrication and performance analysis of Damper System Incorporated with suitable ER fluid for Gun Recoil System

Abstract

Artillery guns played decisive role of wining war and reduced the human causalities. Gun recoil system of these artilleries has vital importance in increasing rate of firing. But assumed linear function orifice design of passive dampers, cannot accommodated the change in load as firing angle changes. Proposed work is based on the semi active Gun Recoil system using electrorheological fluids (ER), which changes their rheological properties based on influence of electrical field. The characteristic changes in fluid are viscosity, yield strength and chemical structure produce the ER effect which can successfully used for vibration mitigating applications. Semi active control system of damping using smart fluid of gun recoil system is a new area for research to increase the firing rate of gun by reducing the recoil length and hence recoil time. Smart behavior of ER fluid actively controls the vibration coming on the gun structure by controlling the flow parameters in the vicinity of applied electric voltage. This dissertation work is stick to increase the firing rate of 155 mm Howitzer. Currently it is working with passive component of gun recoil system having recoil length approximately 1600 mm. It is decided to reduce the recoil length of howitzer to 600 mm by designing the ER damper by considering the massive impact force and effect of ER fluid. ER fluid is to be prepared and tested accordingly to get desired properties as per impact force calculation and estimated yield strength. Nanoscaled ER particles have to be synthesized to get giant ER fluid (GER) required for heavy duty application. Design of smart ER damper is with consideration to criticality of applied voltage in kilovolts and proper electrical insulation. To reveal the properties of ER fluid, high voltage is applied through small annular gap. Test model of gun recoil system is to be fabricated to apply the high impact force over the smart damper. For different angles, impact is given to measure the recoil time and piston displacement of smart damper. Experimental and computational results have to be compared to determine the firing rate of howitzer.