Phase detonated shock tube (PFST)

Conference · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.46363· OSTI ID:10170016

Zerwekh, W D; Marsh, S P; Tan, Tai-Ho

The simple, cylindrically imploding and axially driven fast shock tube (FST) has been a basic component in the high velocity penetrator (HVP) program. It is a powerful device capable of delivering a directed and very high pressure output that has been successfully employed to drive hypervelocity projectiles. The FST is configured from a hollow, high-explosive (HE) cylinder, a low-density Styrofoam core, and a one-point initiator at one end. A Mach stem is formed in the core as the forward-propagating, HE detonation wave intersects the reflected radial wave. This simple FST has been found to be a powerful pressure multiplier. Up to 1-Mbar output pressure can be obtained from this device. Further increase in the output pressure can be achieved by increasing the HE detonation velocity. The FST has been fine tuned to drive a thin plate to very high velocity under an impulse per unit area of about 1 Mbar{mu}s/cm{sup 2}. A 1.5-mm-thick stainless steel disk has been accelerated intact to 0.8 cm/{mu}s under a loading pressure rate of several Mbar/{mu}s. By making the plate curvature slightly convex at the loading side the authors have successfully accelerated it to almost 1.0 cm/{mu}s. The incorporation of a barrel at the end of the FST has been found to be important as confinement of the propellant gas by the barrel tends to accelerate the projectile to higher velocity. The desire to accelerate the plate above 1.0 cm/{mu}s provided the impetus to develop a more advanced fast shock tube to deliver a much higher output pressure. This report describes the investigation of a relatively simple air-lens phase-detonation system (PFST) with fifty percent higher phase-detonation velocity and a modest 2 Mbar output. Code calculations have shown that this PFST acceleration of a plate to about 1.2 cm/{mu}s can be achieved. The performance of these PFSTs has been evaluated and the details are discussed.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 10170016
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--93-2391; CONF-9306167--11; ON: DE93016523
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS AND EXPLOSIVES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DESIGN
ENERGY TRANSFER
EXPLOSIVES
PENETRATORS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHASE VELOCITY
PROJECTILES
SHOCK TUBES
VERY HIGH PRESSURE