SCB thermite igniter studies
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Energetic Materials Associates, Inc., Vero Beach, FL (United States)
The authors report on recent studies comparing the ignition threshold of temperature cycled, SCB thermite devices with units that were not submitted to temperature cycling. Aluminum/copper-oxide thermite was pressed into units at two densities, 45% of theoretical maximum density (TMD) or 47% of TMD. Half of each of the density sets underwent three thermal cycles; each cycle consisted of 2 hours at 74 C and 2 hours at {minus}54 C, with a 5 minute maximum transfer time between temperatures. The temperature cycled units were brought to ambient temperature before the threshold testing. Both the density and the thermal cycling affected the all-fire voltage. Using a 5.34 {micro}F CDU (capacitor discharge unit) firing set, the all-fire voltage for the units that were not temperature cycled increased with density from 32.99 V (45% TMD) to 39.32 V (47% TMD). The all-fire voltages for the thermally cycled units were 34.42 V (45% TMD) and 58.1 V (47% TMD). They also report on no-fire levels at ambient temperature for two component designs; the 5 minute no-fire levels were greater than 1.2 A. Units were also subjected to tests in which 1 W of RF power was injected into the bridges at 10 MHz for 5 minutes. The units survived and fired normally afterwards. Finally, units were subjected to pin-to-pin electrostatic discharge (ESD) tests. None of the units fired upon application of the ESD pulse, and all of the tested units fired normally afterwards.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 486218
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-96-2762C; CONF-970727-1; ON: DE97007462; TRN: AHC29713%%165
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE joint propulsion conference and exhibit, Seattle, WA (United States), 6-9 Jul 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1996]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A low-ignition energy, SCB, thermite igniter
SCB ignition of pyrotechnics, thermites and intermetallics