Numerical Simulation and Experiment on Impulse Noise in a Small Caliber Rifle with Muzzle Brake

Abstract

Blast waves generated from the muzzles of weapons may exert negative effects, such as shock waves and impulse noise. If the weapon is fired with a muzzle brake, these effects are recognized to be more severe. This paper discusses the influence of the muzzle brake on certain aeroacoustic noise characteristics based on numerical simulations and a corresponding experiment. The impulse noise, which is induced by complex jet flows discharging from small caliber rifles with muzzle brakes, is focused in this study. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational aeroacoustics (CAA) are combined to calculate the muzzle flow field and jet noise for cases with and without a muzzle brake, and then the data sets are carefully compared. The simulations indicate that the muzzle brake alters the muzzle flow field and directional distribution of the jet noise compared to a rifle sans muzzle brake. Deviations less than 7.6% between experimental data and simulation results validate the simulation model. The results presented in this paper may provide a workable reference for the prediction of muzzle noise and the optimization of muzzle brake designs.