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U.S. Department of Energy
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CP DDT detonators. III. Powder column effects

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6882360

In this investigation, we have examined the effects of powder column parameters on transition to detonation behavior in CP detonators. Increasing powder loading pressure increases bulk powder density, decreases void volume, and leads toward inhibition of DDT. The extent of inhibition, however, is affected by initial particle size, not simply bulk powder density. This implies that inhibition does not simply correlate with void volume. It has been shown that individual CP crystals undergo considerable diminution during loading. Virtually all porosity remains open; however, as loading pressure increases, the largest pores are eliminated. Transition to detonation in such detonators appears to correlate with gas permeability of the column and the existence of pores greater than approx. 0.2 ..mu..m. The results imply that CP DDT is controlled by gas flow through a small percentage of the total pores present and a small percentage of the total pore volume.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA); Unidynamics/Phoenix, Inc., AZ (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
6882360
Report Number(s):
SAND-84-0143C; CONF-840867-1; ON: DE84012238
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English