Methods and algorithms for solving the problem of optimizing the charge design intended to increase the initial velocity of a projectile

A mathematical model of the structural and parametric synthesis of a charge composed of sequentially arranged tubular and granular powder elements is formulated for increasing the muzzle velocity of a projectile. A target parameter (the muzzle velocity) and the controlled parameters (the maximum pressure behind the shot) are determined from the solution of a gas-dynamic problem of internal ballistics for a combined charge at various loading schemes. The developed method for the optimization problem solving is based on a genetic algorithm. The operability of the proposed optimization algorithm along with the solution of the main problem of internal ballistics in a gas-dynamic formulation is examined and confirmed. The general scheme and the basic steps of the algorithm implementation are tested on a benchmark problem. Four components of the charge consisting of single-channel tubular and seven-channel grained gunpowder are considered. The components differ in the burning rate, geometry of the powder elements, and powder mass. The rest of the characteristics remain the same. The potential for increasing the muzzle velocity of the projectile using the structural and parametric optimization of the combined charge design is shown.