Theory and Modeling of Thermal Reaction Propagation in Beam-Initiated Explosives
Abstract
Previous work on the thermal initiation of energetic materials by particle beams concentrated on uniformly irradiated confined samples. The present report extends the work to situations where only a portion of the material has been irradiated. In some materials (e.g., TATB) only the irradiated region undergoes thermal initiation; in other materials a thermal initiation front has been observed (by thermocouple response) to propagate away from the irradiated region. The frontal speeds are of the order of centimeters per second to tens of centimeters per second. These slow speeds eliminate the possibility of pressure propagation or a deflagration to detonation transition (DDT). Modeling is based on the interference that at the thermal initiation temperature the material develops a greatly enhance thermal and gaseous diffusivity. This allows the exothermic energy released to propagate into the cold region and forestalls any explosive temperature rise. At a well defined positive R* (the explosion radius) thermal initiation propagation ceases and an explosive temperature rise takes place.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 10, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA266105
Entities
People
- A. Stolovy
- J. B. Aviles Jr.
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory