Numerical analysis of hydrodynamic ram phenomenon in fighter aircraft fuel tanks

When a high-velocity particle hits a liquid-filled chamber, it penetrates the chamber and transfers its kinetic energy to the liquid. Liquid moving in the chamber and high-energy shock waves propagating in the liquid can cause devastating damage to the structural parts surrounding the chamber. This effect created when particles with high kinetic energy collide with liquid-filled chambers is known as "hydrodynamic ram". "Hydrodynamic ram" is considered one of the main design criteria, especially when designing the fuel tank of a warplane. High-velocity particle impingement and hydrodynamic ram generation into a fuel tank can be modelled numerically on commercial software LS-DYNA, making it more predictable for designers. In the analyses to be made on LS-DYNA, the fuel tank geometries created in structures similar to those in warplanes will be filled with a water model and analyzed. After the analyses are matched with the literature, the effects of particle velocity and type, and fuel tank geometry on hydrodynamic ram will be investigated. Keywords: hydrodynamic ram, LS-DYNA, fighter jet, fuel tank, fluid-filled tank, projectile damage, vulnerability, numerical modelling