Experimental Study of the Explosion of Aluminized Explosives in Air

Abstract

Piezoelectric gauges were used to measure the shock wave overpressure of aluminized explosives and of a TNT charge. An infrared thermal-imaging spectrometer was used to collect the infrared signatures produced by the explosion fireball when the examined explosives were detonated. The measurement of the infrared signatures was used to estimate the surface temperatures and the dimensions of the fireball. Two aluminized explosive compositions (RDX/Al/AP and RDX/Al/B/AP) have been analyzed. 500 g charges of the aluminized explosives were prepared and studied, and their TNT equivalences were calculated according to the experimental data and the explosion law. The highest surface temperatures of the fireballs of these aluminized explosives were up to 1600 °C, which was higher than that of the TNT charge. In the region of the highest surface temperature above 700 °C, the duration for the composition RDX/Al/AP was about 232 ms (2.73 times more than TNT), whilst RDX/Al/B/AP was about 360 ms. The fireballs obtained from the explosion of these aluminized explosives had larger dimensions than that of TNT, especially when the surface temperature was above 1000 °C. The test results indicate that the addition of boron powders to aluminized explosives is a good way to enhance their blast effect, to improve the temperature of the explosion field and to prolong the duration of the higher temperature.

Experimental Performance Assessment of Layered Thermobaric Explosive in an Explosion Chamber

“…(1), the relative charge mass by considering the peak overpressure generated by the TBX charges could be calculated, and the value is 2.35 kg. The TNT equivalent of TBX based on the overpressure can be determined from the following equation [19]: …”

“…They also analyzed the shock wave propagation and quasi‐static pressure effect of the pressed TBX with different particle size in an open space and steel chambers. When a 500 g pressed aluminized explosive is detonated, the highest surface temperature of fireball could reach 1600 °C, which was much higher than that of TNT and the duration time of temperature above 700 °C was 2.73 times longer than that of TNT [19]. Simić et al.…”

Studies on PBFMO-b-PNMMO alternative block thermoplastic elastomers as potential binders for solid propellants

“…A slow cook-off test was performed to study the thermal performance of PBFMO-b-PNMMO and Al powders. [33][34][35] The cook-off curves of thermoplastic elastomers/Al compositions (Fig. 10) show an initial linear curves, subsequent impetuous curves and ultimately linear curves again.…”

Effects of Micro‐Encapsulation Treatment on the Thermal Safety of High Energy Emulsion Explosives with Boron Powders

“…Y. Chen et al. [9] found that the aluminized explosive with boron powders had higher values in shock wave over‐pressure, surface temperature and duration of explosion fireballs than TNT and aluminized explosive without boron powders. E. C. Koch et al.…”

“…M. N. Makhov et al [8] showed that the addition of aluminum powder and boron powder remarkably increased the explosion heat of explosives. Y. Chen et al [9] found that the aluminized explosive with boron powders had higher values in shock wave over-pressure, surface temperature and duration of explosion fireballs than TNT and aluminized explosive with-out boron powders. E. C. Koch et al [10] studied the detonation velocities and pressures of the boron-based high explosives, and discovered that the detonation velocities of the boron-based compounds were always higher than that of the corresponding carbon-based compounds.…”