Base burning performance at Mach 3

Navier-Stokes computations for a reacting, M864 base bleed projectile

“…An effective means for reducing drag is through the addition of mass in the low-speed, recirculating, low-pressure region directly behind the projectile base. This technique is known as "base bleed" and has been the subject of experimental (Baker, Davis, and Matthews 1951;Murthy and Osborn 1976;Strahle, Hubbartt, and Walterick 1982) and computational studies (Sahu, Nietubicz, and Steger 1985;Sahu 1986). When the gas is combustible, an additional drag reduction is obtained due to the wake burning which occurs.…”