In-Wall Ballistic Thermocouples
Veritay Type-K Ballistic In Wall thermocouples (IWTCs) are the preferred method for measuring transient and long-term heating in gun barrels. Veritay’s In-wall thermocouples are non-intrusive sensors that are installed in ports machined into the gun barrel. Since the instrumentation port does not penetrate the bore surface, any protective plating on the bore surface is not damaged. This is of particular importance for large caliber cannon and artillery. Veritay's Ballistic In-wall thermocouples have been used in applications ranging from small-arms to medium-caliber cannon to large-caliber artillery systems.
Two types of Ballistic In-wall thermocouples are available: Fast response and Slow response.
Fast-response thermocouples are used for measuring the transient heat pulse resulting
from gun firing. Typical installations place the measurement
location 0.050" back from the bore surface which provides a balance
between fast response time and protection from severe barrel erosion
often seen in experimental ammunition. Typical applications of the
Fast-response thermocouples are:
- Gun barrel temperature measurement
- Gun barrel erosion studies
- Propellant formulation studies (barrel heating & wear)
- Gun barrel wear inhibitor testing
Slow-response thermocouples are typically used to monitor long-term barrel temperature during extended firing schedules or other test programs where transient heat input is not of interest. Typical installations place the measurement location at least 0.100" back from the bore surface to provide additional protection against severe barrel erosion, particularly if the barrel is to be tested to failure. Some applications of the Slow-response thermocouples are:
- Barrel temperature vs. time for burst / extended firing schedules
- Ammunition cook-off studies (Hot gun testing)
We also manufacture rugged portable thermocouple amplifiers suitable for indoor and outdoor firing ranges. The combination of Veritay’s IWTC technology and thermal analysis capabilities make us the Industry leader in barrel heating measurements and data analysis. Please contact us to discuss your needs and applications for ballistic thermal measurements and testing.