THE BUILDUP OF ELECTROSTATIC CHARGES BY FALLING POWDERS. A PRELIMINARY REPORT

Abstract

Many automatic loading machines permit explosives to fall freely through orifices. Since, however, numerous unexplained detonations have occurred in the course of this operation, measurements have been initiated to determine whether the falling powders can build up an electrostatic charge sufficient to initiate explosions. A simple system has been designed to determine to what extent the charge buildup depends on the nature of the falling powder, its size, its flow rate, or the orifice size, the orifice material, the orifice geometry, or other factors such as the effects of various pretreatments on the powder, e.g., drying, ballmilling, the relative humidity of the surrounding air, etc.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1969
Accession Number
AD0687282

Entities

People

  • F. R. Schwartz
  • L. Avrami
  • P. W. Levy

Organizations

  • Picatinny Arsenal

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accidents
  • Aluminum Oxides
  • Charge Transfer
  • Detonations
  • Dielectrics
  • Electric Charge
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Electrostatic Charge
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Flow Rate
  • Impedance Bridges
  • Lead Azides
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Particle Size
  • Resistance

Readers

  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Plasma Physics.
  • Surface Coatings Technology.