Detonation propagation and Mach stem formation in PBXN-9

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/658123· OSTI ID:658123

Hull, L M

PBXN-9 is an explosive that is less sensitive to certain insults, yet retains a high level of performance. As a result, PBXN-9 has been considered as an interim insensitive high explosive for conventional munitions systems. Certain of these systems incorporate wave control methodologies that require some form of reactive flow representation to achieve accurate predictions of the wave propagation. The authors have continued the use of Detonation Shock Dynamics (DSD) as a means to approximately account for reactive flow effects, yet retain the efficiency necessary for the munitions design process. To use DSD, they have taken the approach to calibrate explosives by measuring the detonation velocity as a function of local wave curvature. The DSD calibration, including the appropriate boundary conditions, can then be used to predict wave propagation in complex situations such as around obstacles, following wave-wave collisions, and so on. This paper describes the DSD calibration for PBXN-9, along with the methodologies used to obtain it, for both convergent and divergent flow (positive and negative wave curvatures). During the course of the calibration for convergent flow, Mach stem formation is observed in wave reflection experiments. The characteristics of the Mach stem formation and the subsequent growth are analyzed, presented and compared to similar measurements on other explosives. Illustrative examples of the use of DSD to predict wave propagation are provided.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 658123
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--97-3827; CONF-9709157--; ON: DE98001542
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
CALCULATION METHODS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CONFIGURATION INTERACTION
DETONATION WAVES
MACH NUMBER
MILITARY EQUIPMENT
THEORETICAL DATA
WAVE PROPAGATION