Controlling Effect of Tantalum Liner's Structural Parameters on EFP Formation and Penetration Performance

Aiming at the problems concerning the application of tantalum in a shaped charge warhead, we investigated the influences of the arc-cone tantalum liner's structural parameters (cone angle, wall thickness and radius of curvature) on the formation and penetration performance of EFP using the LS-DYNA finite element software, revealed how these various structural parameters affected the formation performance of EFP:the cone angle of the liner determines the capacity of the axial tension and the radial shrinkage of EFP, the head velocity and tail fracture and outward expansion of EFP are determined by the thickness of the liner, the head shape and the absolute solid length of EFP are determined by the radius of the curvature.The range of the structural parameters of the tantalum liner with better formation performance of EFP was obtained:the cone angle ranged from 143° to 147°, the thickness and radius of the curvature ranged from 0.024 to 0.026 and 0.7 to 0.8 times of the charge diameter.The order was found out in which various structural parameters exert their influence on the penetration depth and aperture of EFP:the radius of the curvature, the cone angle, the wall thickness and cone angle, the wall thickness, the radius of the curvature.The optimal combination of the structural parameters of the tantalum liner that would bring about a better formation and penetration performance of EFP was proposed:the cone angle is taken for 145°, the thickness and radius of the curvature are taken for 0.025 and 0.70 times that of the charge diameter.