MEASUREMENT OF IMPACT SENSITIVITY OF LIQUID EXPLOSIVES AND MONOPROPELLANTS

Abstract

Instrumentation of a standard drop-weight tester to give pressure- time records and further modification to permit high speed photography have allowed intimate study of the impact initiation explosion process in nitroglycerin. A plot of peak impact pressure versus concentration of conventional desensitizer (in nitroglycerin) gives a continuous, nearly linear relationship. The ratio of peak impact pressure to initial pressure is a most significant factor in determining probability of explosions of nitroglycerin. This is consistent with quasi-adiabatic compression of air bubbles as a step in the mechanism of initiation. The photographic studies support this mechanism, showing compression, breakdown of bubble structure (thereby causing more efficient heat transfer to the surrounding liquid), an induction period, and ignition starting in hot spots at the site of the bubble.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 20, 1965
Accession Number
AD0467083

Entities

People

  • Carl Boyars
  • Donald Levine

Organizations

  • Naval Ordnance Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cameras
  • Classification
  • Energy
  • Explosives
  • Gages
  • Heat Transfer
  • High Speed Photography
  • Hot Spots
  • Instrumentation
  • Liquid Explosives
  • Measurement
  • Ordnance Laboratories
  • Photography
  • Pressure Gages
  • Standards
  • Strain Gages
  • United States

Readers

  • Materials Science (Mechanical Engineering).
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Rocket Propulsion.