An Experimental Investigation of Composition-B Ignition under Artillery Setback Conditions
Abstract
Experiments were conducted using the activator in order to establish some limits of the sensitivity of explosives to premature ignition during the launch of an artillery projectile. The ignition mechanisms considered were compression alone, the heating of air trapped adjacent to the explosive by rapid compression (compressive heating), and frictional heating. We found that compression alone did not cause ignition with peak pressures up to 1.67 GPa (16. 7kbar). When, on the other hand, a base gap filled with air was allowed adjacent to the explosive, ignitions did not result and could be suppressed by the evacuation of the gap. We, also, found that air leakage, convergent airflow, and the state of the explosive surface influence sensitivity. Further, lower sensitivity is observed with voids internal to the explosive sample rather than with base gaps of similar dimensions. Carefully conducted planar gap tests show that precise ignition thresholds can be defined, and that TNT is somewhat more sensitive than comp-B. We observed that frictional ignitions were produced only when high-melting-point grit was present at the sliding surface.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA095348
Entities
People
- Boyd C. Taylor
- John Starkenberg
- Lewis H. Ervin
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory