Research on the Measurement Method of Burning Rate for Electrically Controlled Solid Propellants

This paper presents an improved burning rate measurement method for electrically controlled solid propellants (ECSP), based on the traditional fuse wire method while accounting for the unique characteristics of electrically ignited combustion and power-off extinction. A dedicated electrode translation module and a custom-designed spring-loaded fixture are introduced to maintain reliable electrical contact with the propellant surface throughout combustion, ensuring stable signal acquisition and minimizing external interference. Fuse wires are embedded at predetermined intervals along the inhibited propellant strand to record ignition timing, and the burning rate is determined from the known spacing and time intervals. Measurements were conducted under pressures ranging from 0.1 MPa to 2.0 MPa. Results show that the average burning rate increases with pressure, with a fitted pressure coefficient of 2.425 mm/s and a pressure exponent of 0.262. This method provides a reliable means for characterizing the burning behavior and supporting internal ballistic analysis of ECSP.