Numerical Study of the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio of a Waveguide with a Matching Device for an Experimental Setup to Determine the Burning Rate of Energy Condensed Systems

Abstract

The burning rate of the energy condensed system is the main intra-ballistic parameter when designing propulsion systems of aircraft. Due to the complexity of analytically determining the combustion rate, various experimental methods are being developed, one of which is microwave diagnostics. When using this method, elements of microwave technology are used to study the burning rate, which include a matching device made of dielectric material. It is designed to match circular cross-section tracts with different diameters filled with air and a sample of the energy condensed system under study. One of the indicators of the quality of the waveguide path is the voltage standing wave ratio, the value of which for real devices is in the range of 1.02--2.00. The following materials are considered in the work: nylon, fiberglass, polymethyl methacrylate and polylactide. For each material, frequency intervals of electromagnetic waves are determined at which the smallest number of excess reflections occurs. The geometric parameters of a metal waveguide filled with air are determined. Numerical simulation of the waveguide path showed that a matching device made of fiberglass gives the highest voltage standing wave ratio value, which negatively affects the measurement of the parameters of the signal under study. This is probably due to the smallest diameter of the minimum cross-section due to the high value of the dielectric constant of fiber-glass (4.6). On the contrary, a matching device made of nylon, polymethyl methacrylate and polylactide provides a voltage standing wave ratio value of less than 2 in the frequency range 8.8--9.5 GHz

Please cite this article in English as:

Shostov A.K., Fedotova K.V. Numerical study of the voltage standing wave ratio of a waveguide with a matching device for an experimental setup to determine the burning rate of energy condensed systems. Herald of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Series Natural Sciences, 2025, no. 3 (120), pp. 100--113 (in Russ.). EDN: NSLXLJ

References

[1] Zarko V., Kiskin A., Cheremisin A. Contemporary methods to measure regression rate of energetic materials: a review. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci., 2022, vol. 91, art. 100980. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2021.100980

[2] Zarko V.E., Vdovin D.V., Perov V.V. Methodical problems of solid-propellant burning-rate measurements using microwaves. Combust. Explos. Shock Waves., 2000, vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 62--71. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02701515

[3] Yagodnikov D.A., Sukhov A.V., Sergeev A.V., et al. Possibilities of studying the process of the metallized energy condensed systems combustion by the microwave radiation method. Herald of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Series Mechanical Engineering, 2023, no. 3 (146), pp. 50--63 (in Russ.). DOI: https://doi.org/10.18698/0236-3941-2023-3-50-63

[4] Yagodnikov D.A., Sergeev A.V., Kozichev V.V. Experimental and theoretical basis for improving the accuracy of measuring the burning rate of energetic condensed systems by a microwave method. Combust. Explos. Shock Waves., 2014, vol. 50, no. 2, pp. 168--177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0010508214020075

[5] Ginzton E.L. Microwave measurements., McGraw-Hill, 1957.

[6] Collier R.J., Skinner A.D. Microwave measurements. Institution of Engineering, 2007.

[7] Lavrov B.P., Sharay Yu.M., Sergeev A.V., et al. Determination of rate of solid fuel combustion using impedance meter of microwave range. Herald of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Series Instrument Engineering, 2009, no.1 (74), pp. 28--36 (in Russ.). EDN: KHNBPX

[8] Strand L.D., Schultz A.L., Reedy G.K. Determination of solid-propellant transient regression rates using a microwave Doppler shift technique. Pasadena, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1972.

[9] Efimov I.E., Shermina G.A. Volnovodnye linii peredach [Waveguide transmission lines]. Moscow, Svyaz Publ., 1979.

[10] Pchelnikov Yu.N., Sviridov V.T. Elektronika sverkhvysokikh chastot [Electronics of ultrahigh frequencies]. Moscow, Radio i svyaz Publ., 1981.

[11] Lavrov B.P., Sergeev A.V., Kozichev V.V. et al. Application of microwave method for measuring the combustion rate of energetic condensed systems under ultrahigh pressure conditions. Nauka i obrazovanie [Science and Education], 2011, no. 12 (in Russ.). EDN: OOZGUZ

[12] Huber E., Mirzaee M., Bjorgaard J., et al. Dielectric property measurement of PLA. IEEE EIT, 2016, pp. 788--792. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/eit.2016.7535340

[13] Sedki M.R., Iman M.S. Electromagnetic fields and waves: fundamentals of engineering. McGraw-Hill, 2020.

[14] Fogelson B.A. Volnovody [Waveguides]. Moscow, Voenizdat Publ., 1958.

[15] Vaynshteyn L.A. Elektromagnitnye volny [Electomagnetic waves]. Moscow, Radio i svyaz Publ., 1988.

[16] Koryu Ishii T. Handbook of Microwave Technology. Academic Press, 1995.

[17] Suslyaev V.I., Dunaevskiy G.E., Emelyanov E.V., et al. Complex of methods and means of radio wave diagnostics of fundamental characteristics of heterogeneous materials and media in gigahertz and terahertz ranges. Izvestiya vuzov. Fizika, 2011, vol. 54, no. 9-2, pp. 138--146 (in Russ.). EDN: OWJCWF

[18] Zorkaltseva M.Yu., Koshelev V.I., Petkun A.A. Numerical modeling of ultra wideband combined antennas. Izvestiya vuzov. Fizika, 2017, vol. 60, no. 8, pp. 26--30 (in Russ.). EDN: ZDQNBL

[19] Zakharov V.V., Artyukhov I.I. 3d-improvement of finite element 3d modeling methods for microwave ray type electrothermal installations with unlimited volume. Russ. Phys. J., 2017, vol. 60, no. 8, pp. 1291--1297. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11182-017-1210-8

[20] Jin J.M. The finite element method in electromagnetics. Wiley, 2002.