Numerical Study on the Flow Field Characteristics and Efficiency of Different Underwater Gun Muzzle Brakes

Abstract

The submerged gun’s mathematical and physical models were established, and an investigation was conducted on the development of the flow field and the recoiling efficiency of three representative muzzle brakes. The study employed the Schnerr-Sauer cavitation model and the k − ω transport turbulence model, both based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes method. Numerical simulation of the underwater firing of a 12.7 mm gun’s muzzle flow field was accomplished using a combination of user-defined function (UDF) and overlapping mesh techniques. Detailed analysis was performed on the flow field characteristics encompassing density, velocity, and phase state fields, along with an in-depth examination of the efficiency of the three muzzle brakes. The simulation results demonstrated an enhanced cavitation effect when a brake was incorporated, with the impact muzzle brake exhibiting the highest efficiency, followed by the impact-reaction type, while the reaction type exhibited the lowest performance.