The deflagration-to-detonation transition in granular HMX

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5738865

McAfee, J M; Asay, B; Campbell, A W; Ramsay, J B

The transition from deflagration to detonation in porous beds of explosive and propellant has received considerable attention both experimentally and theoretically. In many cases, the use of a hot-gas-producing igniter complicates the interpretation and subsequent modeling of experiments because considerable effort is required to account for the effect of the igniter gases on the granular bed. Hot-wire ignition is less intrusive; however, the ignition front is not planar. Thus the early events in these experiments cannot be approximated as one-dimensional. We have studied the deflagration-to-detonation behavior of granular HMX confined in steel tubes with x-radiography, light emission, stress gauges, and various pin techniques. Simplification and consistency of results were obtained by igniting the HMX with a piston (initially at rest and in contact with the HMX) driven into the bed. A gasless igniter is used to stare the burning of the piston propellant (low-density HMX) providing the piston with a smooth initial motion. Analysis of the data gives a detailed picture of the DDT process under these conditions. The qualitative and quantitative experimental results show the transition from the burning to detonation is discontinuous. The results are discussed in terms of a descriptive model.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5738865
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-91-2103; CONF-9104269-1-Vugraphs; ON: DE91014591
• Resource Relation: Conference: Research Center for Energetic Materials (RCEM) open seminar on safety and hazards evaluation, Socorro, NM (USA), 9 Apr 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS
DETONATIONS
IGNITION
BORON
GRANULAR MATERIALS
TITANIUM
X-RAY RADIOGRAPHY
ELEMENTS
EXPLOSIONS
INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY
MATERIALS
METALS
SEMIMETALS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
450100* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Chemical Explosions & Explosives