Blast and Fragment Hazards from Bursting High Pressure Tanks

Abstract

Five pressure vessels that are used in the flight hardware of spacecraft were inflated until they burst. Airblast and fragment parameters were measured to evaluate the hazards from the accidental rupture of such tanks during their handling, checkout, and use. Tank volumes ranged up to 6 cu ft, skin thicknesses up to 0.368 inches, and burst pressures up to 8,000 psi. Airblast results showed that tank rupture generated shockwave overpressures and impulses at high enough levels to be a significant hazard to personnel and equipment. Rupture blast energy could not be equated to a single TNT blast yield. The tanks burst into as many as 60 fragments, some weighing several pounds. These fragments attained maximum velocities of about 1400 ft/sec.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 17, 1972
Accession Number
AD0900487

Entities

People

  • Joseph F. Pittman

Organizations

  • Naval Ordnance Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Camera Shutters
  • Cameras
  • Construction
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Geometry
  • High Pressure
  • Measurement
  • Munitions
  • Ordnance Laboratories
  • Photographs
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Pressure Vessels
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Facilities

Readers

  • Aerospace Test and Evaluation
  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Materials Science

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster