Eric Welle

Computational prediction of probabilistic ignition threshold of pressed granular octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,2,3,5-tetrazocine (HMX) under shock loading

The probabilistic ignition thresholds of pressed granular octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,2,3,5-tetrazocine explosives with average grain sizes between 70 μm and 220 μm are computationally predicted. The prediction uses material microstructure and basic constituent properties and does not involve curve fitting with respect to or prior knowledge of the attributes being predicted. The specific thresholds predicted are James-type relations between the energy flux and energy fluence for given probabilities of ignition. Statistically similar microstructure sample sets are computationally generated and used based on the features of micrographs of materials used in actual experiments. The predicted thresholds are in general agreement with measurements from shock experiments in terms of trends. In particular, it is found that grain size significantly affects the ignition sensitivity of the materials, with smaller sizes leading to lower energy thresholds required for ignition. For example, 50% ignition threshold of...

Cylindrical converging shock initiation of reactive materials

Recent research has been conducted that builds on the Forbes et al. (1997) study of inducing a rapid solid state reaction in a highly porous core using a converging cylindrical shock driven by a high explosive. The high explosive annular charge used in this research to compress the center reactive core was comparable to PBXN-110. Some modifications were made on the physical configuration of the test item for scale-up and ease of production. The reactive materials (I2O5/Al and I2O5/Al/Teflon) were hand mixed and packed to a tap density of about 32 percent. Data provided by a Cordon 114 high speed framing camera and a Photon Doppler Velocimetry instrument provided exit gas expansion, core particle and cylinder wall velocities. Analysis indicates that the case expansion velocity differs according to the core formulation and behaved similar to the baseline high explosive core with the exit gas of the reactive materials producing comparable velocities. Results from CTH hydrocode used to model the test item com...

Characterization of detonation products of RSI-007 explosive

PDV and VISAR have been employed to characterize the detonation products of a high-purity CL-20 based explosive. The explosive was part of an exploding foil initiator (EFI) detonator assembly in which the explosive was contained within a Kovar (Fe-Ni-Co alloy) cup. The back surface of the Kovar serves as the witness plate for interferometry measurements. Detailed reverberations corresponding to shock arrival and release are recorded on the witness plate and the isentropic release path of the explosive is inferred though the velocity history. Two separate window materials are bonded to the Kovar cup in subsequent experiments and are used to further refine the release states.