Noble–Abel/first-order virial equations of state for gas mixtures resulting from multiple condensed reactive materials combustion

The Noble–Abel (NA) equation of state (EOS) is widely used in the interior ballistics of guns as well as rocket propulsion computations. Its simplicity and accuracy are key points for intensive computations with hyperbolic two-phase flow models considered in interior ballistics codes. An alternative formulation is examined in the present contribution through a first-order virial (VO1) equation of state. Appropriate methods for the determination of related parameters, such as specific gas constant, co-volume, and condensed material energy, for both formulations (NA and VO1) are presented. For this, a combination of closed bomb vessel experiments and thermochemical code computations is needed. An extended VO1 EOS with temperature-dependent specific heat is examined. Then, its extension to multiple reactive materials is addressed. Examples are examined for each formulation (NA and VO1) and comparisons are done with the Becker–Kistiakowsky–Wilson (BKW) EOS as reference. Several conclusions have emerged. First, a consideration of the specific heat temperature dependance in computations of the interior ballistics of guns appeared insignificant. Second, VO1 appeared to be more accurate than NA, particularly when gas density is beyond the range used for EOS parameter determination. Last, regarding mixtures of condensed reactive materials, producing burnt gas mixtures, NA again appeared to be less accurate than VO1. However, its formulation is explicit, while VO1 requires numerical solving of a non-linear equation, with consequences on computational cost.