Experiments and Numerical Calculations on an Ignition System

Aim To present a new kind of rapid ignition tube for igniting the propellant of heavy calibre gun uniformly and synchronistically so as to decrease the pressure wave. Methods Firing tests were carried out. Relationships between pressure and time ( p t curves) at different positions of the tube are measured. The mode of igniter tube of quasi one dimensional two phase flow is given. Results\ The test results indicate that the speed of ignition front in the ignition tube is very fast and the pressure distribution within the igniter tube is uniform. Results of experiments and numerical calculations of the combustion in the igniter tube are in reasonable agreement. Conclusion\ The new igniter tubes have a very high velocity of propagation of ignition stimuli and can ignite the propellant bed synchronistically.

Development of a High Power Programmable Precise Time-Delay Trigger/Ignition System for MFCG

High-power precise delay trigger/ignition system is a programmable pulse generator developed for experiment controlling in explosively driven magnetic flux compression generators. Precise delay pulses are generated by the digital circuit, after being magnified and sharpened through multistage isolated amplifiers and rising edge sharpening device, high-voltage steep delay pulses with precision less than μs level are obtained. This system has been used in our compact magnetic flux compression generator experiments in place of the traditional primaeord delay device.

Preliminary discussion on the ignition mechanism of exploding foil initiators igniting boron potassium nitrate

Exploding foil initiator(EFI)is a kind of advanced device for initiating explosives,but its function is unstable when it comes to directly igniting pyrotechnics.To solve the problem,this research aims to reveal the ignition mechanism of EFIs directly igniting pyrotechnics.An oscilloscope,a photon Doppler velocimetry,and a plasma spectrum measurement system were employed to obtain information of electric characteristics,impact pressure,and plasma temperature.The results of the electric characteristics and the impact pressure were inconsistent with ignition results.The only thing that the ignition success tests had in common was that their plasma all had a relatively long period of high-temperature duration(HTD).It eventually concludes that the ignition mechanism in this research is the microconvection heat transfer rather than the shock initiation,which differs from that of exploding foil initiators detonating explosives.Furthermore,the methods for evaluating the ignition success of semiconductor bridge initiators are not entirely applicable to the tests mentioned in this paper.The HTD is the critical parameter for judging the ignition success,and it is influenced by two factors:the late time discharge and the energy of the electric explosion.The longer time of the late time discharge and the more energy of the electric explosion,the easier it is to expand the HTD,which improves the probability of the ignition success.

Ignition processes and characteristics of charring conductive polymers with a cavity geometry in precombustion chamber for applications in micro/nano satellite hybrid rocket motors

The arc ignition system based on charring polymers has advantages of simple structure,low ignition power consumption and multiple ignitions,which bringing it broadly application prospect in hybrid propulsion system of micro/nano satellite.However,charring polymers alone need a relatively high input voltage to achieve pyrolysis and ignition,which increases the burden and cost of the power system of micro/nano satellite in practical application.Adding conductive substance into charring polymers can effectively decrease the conducting voltage which can realize low voltage and low power consumption repeated ignition of arc ignition system.In this paper,a charring conductive polymer ignition grain with a cavity geometry in precombustion chamber,which is composed of PLA and multiwall carbon nanotubes(MWCNT)was proposed.The detailed ignition processes were analyzed and two different ignition mechanisms in the cavity of charring conductive polymers were revealed.The ignition characteristics of charring conductive polymers were also investigated at different input voltages,ignition grain structures,ignition locations and injection schemes in a visual ignition combustor.The results demonstrated that the ignition delay and external energy required for ignition were inversely correlated with the voltages applied to ignition grain.Moreover,the incremental depth of cavity shortened the ignition delay and external energy required for ignition while accelerated the propagation of flame.As the depth of cavity increased from 2 to 6 mm(at 50 V),the time of flame propagating out of ignition grain changed from 235.6 to 108 ms,and values of mean ignition delay time and mean external energy required for ignition decreased from 462.8 to 320 ms and 16.2 to 10.75 J,respectively.The rear side of the cavity was the ideal ignition position which had a shorter ignition delay and a faster flame propagation speed in comparison to other ignition positions.Compared to direct injection scheme,swirling injection provided a more favorable flow field environment in the cavity,which was beneficial to ignition and initial flame propagation,but the ignition position needed to be away from the outlet of swirling injector.At last,the repeated ignition characteristic of charring conductive polymers was also investigated.The ignition delay time and external energy required for ignition decreased with repeated ignition times but the variation was decreasing gradually.

An analytical model to estimate the time delay to reach spontaneous ignition considering heat loss in oil reservoirs

During air injection into an oil reservoir,an oxidation reaction generates some heat to raise the reservoir temperature.When the reservoir temperature reaches an ignition temperature,spontaneous ignition occurs.There is a time delay from the injection to ignition.There are mixed results regarding the feasibility of spontaneous ignition in real-field projects and in laboratory experiments.No analytical model is available in the literature to estimate the oxidation time required to reach spontaneous ignition with heat loss.This paper discusses the feasibility of spontaneous ignition from theoretical points and experimental and field project observations.An analytical model considering heat loss is proposed.Analytical models with and without heat loss investigate the factors that affect spontaneous ignition.Based on the discussion and investigations,we find that it is more difficult for spontaneous ignition to occur in laboratory experiments than in oil reservoirs;spontaneous ignition is strongly affected by the initial reservoir temperature,oil activity,and heat loss;spontaneous ignition is only possible when the initial reservoir temperature is high,the oil oxidation rate is high,and the heat loss is low.

Identifying the enhancement mechanism of Al/MoO_(3) reactive multilayered films on the ignition ability of semiconductor bridge using a one-dimensional gas-solid two-phase flow model

Energetic Semiconductor bridge(ESCB)based on reactive multilayered films(RMFs)has a promising application in the miniature and intelligence of initiator and pyrotechnics device.Understanding the ignition enhancement mechanism of RMFs on semiconductor bridge(SCB)during the ignition process is crucial for the engineering and practical application of advanced initiator and pyrotechnics devices.In this study,a one-dimensional(1D)gas-solid two-phase flow ignition model was established to study the ignition process of ESCB to charge particles based on the reactivity of Al/MoO_(3) RMFs.In order to fully consider the coupled exothermic between the RMFs and the SCB plasma during the ignition process,the heat release of chemical reaction in RMFs was used as an internal heat source in this model.It is found that the exothermal reaction in RMFs improved the ignition performance of SCB.In the process of plasma rapid condensation with heat release,the product of RMFs enhanced the heat transfer process between the gas phase and the solid charge particle,which accelerated the expansion of hot plasma,and heated the solid charge particle as well as gas phase region with low temperature.In addition,it made up for pressure loss in the gas phase.During the plasma dissipation process,the exothermal chemical reaction in RMFs acted as the main heating source to heat the charge particle,making the surface temperature of the charge particle,gas pressure,and gas temperature rise continuously.This result may yield significant advantages in providing a universal ignition model for miniaturized ignition devices.

Developing a highly scalable synthetic strategy for 5-amino-4-nitrobenzo[1,2-c:3,4-c']bis([1,2,5]oxadiazole)1,b-dioxide(CL-18)and investigating the influence of crystal engineering and positional isomerization on its safety and laser ignition performance

5-amino-4-nitrobenzo[1,2-c:3,4-c']bis([1,2,5]oxadiazole)1,6-dioxide(CL-18)exhibits significant potential as an initiating explosive.However,its current synthesis process remains non-scalable due to low yields and safety risks.In this study,we have developed a simple and safe synthetic route for CL-18.It was synthesized from 3,5-dihaloanisole in a four-step reaction with an overall yield exceeding 60%,surpassing all reported yields in the literature.Subsequently,recrystallization of CL-18 was successfully achieved by carefully selecting appropriate solvents and antisolvents to reduce its mechanical sensitivity.Ultimately,when DMF-ethanol was employed as the recrystallization solvent system,satisfactory product yield(>90%)and reduced mechanical sensitivity(IS=15 J;FS=216 N)were obtained.Additionally,CL-18 is derived from the rearrangement of oxygen atoms on i-CL-18 furoxan,and a comparative analysis of their physicochemical properties was conducted.The thermal stability of both compounds is similar,with onset decomposition temperatures recorded at 186 and 182℃respectively.Similarly,they exhibit 5 s breaking point temperatures of 236 and 237℃.Additionally,we present novel insights into the positional-isomerization-laser-ignition performance of CL-18 and its isomer i-CL-18 using laser irradiation for the first time.Remarkably,our findings demonstrate that i-CL-18 exhibits enhanced laser sensitivity,as it can be directly ignited by a 1064 nm wavelength laser,whereas CL-18 lacks this characteristic.

Spontaneous ignition of corrugated cardboard under dynamic high radiant flux

Understanding the response of solid combustibles under high radiant fluxes is critical in predicting the thermal damage from extreme scenarios.Unlike the more moderate radiant fluxes in conventional hydrocarbon fires,extreme events such as strong explosion,concentrated sunlight and directed energy can generate dynamic radiant fluxes at the MW/m^(2) level,creating a unique threat to materials.This study investigates the pyrolysis and spontaneous ignition behaviors of corrugated cardboard by using both experimental and numerical methods,under 10-cm dynamic high radiant fluxes ranging from 0.2 to 1.25 MW/m^(2) for 10 s.The spontaneous ignition process at dynamic high radiant fluxes was recorded and quantified.Two ignition modes were found at the critical radiant flux of 0.4 MW/m^(2),namely hot-gas spontaneous ignition and hot-residue piloted ignition.The latter is not the focus of this paper due to its extremely small probability of occurrence.The research reveals that the increase in flux intensity induces shorter delay times for both pyrolysis and ignition,lower ignition energy density,along with a corresponding rise in the critical mass flux and surface temperature at ignition moment.The simulation results are generally aligned with the experimental findings,despite some divergences may be attributed to model simplifications and parameter assumptions.The work contributes to a deeper insight into material behavior under extreme radiation,with valuable implications for fire safety and hazard assessment.

Influence of cyclic ignition and steady-state operation on a 1–2 A barium tungsten hollow cathode

Booming low-power electric propulsion systems require 1–2 A hollow cathodes.Such cathodes are expected to go through more frequent ignitions in the low orbit,but the impact of cyclic ignitions on such 1–2 A barium tungsten hollow cathodes with a heater was not clear.In this study,a 12,638-cyclic ignition test and a 6,000-hour-long life test on two identical cathodes were carried out.The discharge voltage of the cathode and the erosion of the orifice after cyclic ignition were all larger than that of the cathode after stable operation.This indicated that the impact of cycle ignition on the discharge performance of a low current BaO-W cathode with a heater was higher than that of stable operation.The results of the ion energy distribution function measured during the ignition period indicated that the main reason for the orifice expansion was ion bombardment.Therefore,it was necessary to pay attention to the number of ignitions for the lifetime of this kind of cathode.

Investigation of high rate mechanical flow followed by ignition for high-energy propellant under dynamic extrusion loading

Investigating the ignition response of nitrate ester plasticized polyether(NEPE) propellant under dynamic extrusion loading is of great significant at least for two cases. Firstly, it helps to understand the mechanism and conditions of unwanted ignition inside charged propellant under accident stimulus.Secondly, evaluates the risk of a shell crevice in a solid rocket motor(SRM) under a falling or overturning scene. In the present study, an innovative visual crevice extrusion experiment is designed using a dropweight apparatus. The dynamic responses of NEPE propellant during extrusion loading, including compaction and compression, rapid shear flow into the crevice, stress concentration, and ignition reaction, have been firstly observed using a high-performance high-speed camera. The ignition reaction is observed in the triangular region of the NEPE propellant sample above the crevice when the drop weight velocity was 1.90 m/s. Based on the user material subroutine interface UMAT provided by finite element software LS-DYNA, a viscoelastic-plastic model and dual ignition criterion related to plastic shear dissipation are developed and applied to the local ignition response analysis under crevice extrusion conditions. The stress concentration occurs in the crevice location of the propellant sample, the shear stress is relatively large, the effective plastic work is relatively large, and the ignition reaction is easy to occur. When the sample thickness decreases from 5 mm to 2.5 mm, the shear stress increases from 22.3 MPa to 28.6 MPa, the critical value of effective plastic work required for ignition is shortened from 1280 μs to 730 μs, and the triangular area is easily triggering an ignition reaction. The propellant sample with a small thickness is more likely to stress concentration, resulting in large shear stress and effective work, triggering an ignition reaction.

Evaluating Ignition and Combustion Performance with Al-Metal- Organic Frameworks and Nano-Aluminum in HTPB Fuel

Incorporating aluminum metal-organic frameworks(Al-MOFs)as energetic additives for solid fuels presents a promising avenue for enhancing combustion performance.This study explores the potential benefits of Al-MOF(MIL-53(Al))energetic additive on the combustion performance of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)fuel.The HTPB-MOF fuel samples were manufactured using the vacuum-casting technique,followed by a comprehensive evaluation of their ignition and combustion properties using an opposed flow burner(OFB)setup utilizing gaseous oxygen as an oxidizer.To gauge the effectiveness of Al-MOFs as fuel additives,their impact is compared with that of nano-aluminum(nAl),another traditional additive in HTPB fuel.The results indicate that the addition of 15%(mass fraction)nAl into HTPB resulted in the shortest ignition delay time(136 ms),demonstrating improved ignition performance compared to pure HTPB(273 ms).The incorporation of Al-MOF in HTPB also reduced ignition delay times to 227 ms and 189 ms,respectively.Moreover,under high oxidizer mass flux conditions(79—81 kg/(m^(2)s)),HTPB fuel with 15%nAl exhibited a substantial 83.2%increase in regression rate compared to the baseline HTPB fuel,highlighting the positive influence of nAl on combustion behavior.In contrast,HTPB-MOF with a 15%Al-MOF additive showed a 32.7%increase in regression rate compared to pure HTPB.These results suggest that HTPB-nAl outperforms HTPB-MOF in terms of regression rates,indicating a more vigorous and rapid burning behavior.

Velocity analysis of supersonic jet flow in double-cone ignition scheme

In the double-cone ignition schemes(DCIS), the deuterium–tritium target shell is ablated and compressed by a highpower nanosecond laser in Au-cones to generate plasmas. Under the actions of spherically symmetric compression and acceleration along the Au cone, they will be ejected out of the cone mouth and collide with each other. The plasmas experience conversion from kinetic energy to internal energy at the vertex of the geometric center of two Au cones that are symmetric to each other, because of which high-density fusion plasmas are preheated. This key physical process has undergone experimental verification on the Shenguang-II upgraded facility in China. Apparently, the improvement and optimization of the velocity of plasmas in hypersonic jet flow at the cone mouth are crucial for the success of the DCIS. In the DCIR7 experiment of the Shenguang-II upgraded facility, a velocity yield of approximately 130–260 km/s was achieved for the plasmas at the cone mouth, with a result of nearly 300 km/s based on numerical simulation. In this paper, theoretical analysis is performed as regards the process, in which target shells are ablated and compressed by laser to generate highvelocity plasmas ejected through jet flow. Based on this analysis, the formula for the velocity of plasmas in supersonic jet flow at the cone mouth is proposed. This study also provides measures that are more effective for improving the kinetic energy of plasmas and optimizing energy conversion efficiency, which can serve as theoretical references for the adjustment and optimization of processes in subsequent experiments.

Development of a monochromatic crystal backlight imager for the recent double-cone ignition experiments

We developed a monochromatic crystal backlight imaging system for the double-cone ignition(DCI) scheme, employing a spherically bent quartz crystal. This system was used to measure the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of the head-on colliding plasma from the two compressing cones in the DCI experiments. The influence of laser parameters on the x-ray backlighter intensity and spatial resolution of the imaging system was investigated. The imaging system had a spatial resolution of 10 μm when employing a CCD detector. Experiments demonstrated that the system can obtain time-resolved radiographic images with high quality, enabling the precise measurement of the shape, size, and density distribution of the plasma.

The Effect of Ignition Parameters on the Combustion Characteristics of an Aviation Piston Engine

A cylinder combustion simulation model was established for a two-stroke aviation piston engine used in a small unmanned aerial vehicle. The influence of different ignition system parameters on the combustion process of aviation kerosene was studied using this model. The research results showed that under the working conditions of 5500 r/min and 50% throttle opening, as the ignition energy increased, the peak values of average cylinder pressure and average temperature increased, and the combustion duration shortened, The advance of the combustion center of gravity increases the tendency of the engine to knock. Under the same operating conditions, as the ignition timing advances, the peak values of average pressure and average temperature in the cylinder increase, gradually approaching the top dead center, and the tendency of engine detonation increases more significantly.

Moisture content thresholds for ignition and rate of fire spread for various dead fuels in northeast forest ecosystems of China

Fuel moisture content is one of the important factors that determine ignition probability and fire behaviour in forest ecosystems.In this study,ignition and fire spread moisture content thresholds of 40 dead fuel were performed in laboratory experiments,with a focus on the source of ignition and wind speed.Variability in fuel moisture content at time of ignition and during fire spread was observed for different fuels.Matches were more efficient to result in ignition and spread fire with high values of fuel moisture content compared to the use of cigarette butts.Some fuels did not ignite at 15%moisture content,whereas others ignited at 40%moisture content and fire spread at 38%moisture content in the case of matches,or ignited at 27%moisture content and spread fire at 25%moisture content using cigarette butts.A two-way ANOVA showed that both the source of ignition and the wind speed affected ignition and fire spread threshold significantly,but there was no interaction between these factors.The relationship between ignition and fire spread was strong,with R2=98%for cigarette butts,and 92%for matches.Further information is needed,especially on the density of fuels,fuel proportion(case of mixed fuels),fuel age,and fuel combustibility.

Numerical study of inhibition mechanism of high-pressure hydrogen leakage self-ignition with the addition of ammonia

Hydrogen and ammonia have attracted increasing attention as carbon-free fuels.Ammonia is considered to be an effective energy storage and hydrogen storage medium.However,a small amount of unremoved NH3 is still present in the product during the decomposition of ammonia to produce hydrogen.Therefore,it is very essential to investigate the self-ignition of hydrogen-ammonia mixtures in order to accommodate the various scenarios of hydrogen energy applications.In this paper,the effect of NH3 addition on the self-ignition of high-pressure hydrogen release is numerically investigated.The RNG k-εturbulence model,EDC combustion model,and 213-step detailed NH_(3)/H_(2) combustion mechanism are used.CHEMKIN-Pro programs for zero-dimensional homogeneous and constant volume adiabatic reactor models are used for sensitivity analysis and ignition delay time of the chemical reaction mechanism.The results showed that the minimum burst pressure required for self-ignition increased significantly after the addition of ammonia.The maximum temperature and shock wave intensity inside the tube decreases with increasing ammonia concentration.The ignition delay time and H,HO2,and OH radicals reduce with increasing ammonia concentration.H and HO2 radicals are suggested as indicators for tracking the second and third flame branches,respectively.

Thermal and ignition properties of hexanitrostilbene(HNS) microspheres prepared by droplet microfluidics

HNS-IV(Hexanitrostilbene-IV) is the main charge of the exploding foil initiators(EFI), and the microstructure of the HNS will directly affect its density, flowability, sensitivity, and stability. HNS microspheres were prepared using droplet microfluidics, and the particle size, morphology, specific surface area, thermal performance, and ignition threshold of the HNS microspheres were characterized and tested. The results shown that the prepared HNS microspheres have high sphericity, with an average particle size of 20.52 μm(coefficient of variation less than 0.2), and a specific surface area of 21.62 m^(2)/g(6.87 m^(2)/g higher than the raw material). Without changing the crystal structure and thermal stability of HNS-IV, this method significantly enhances the sensitivity of HNS-IV to short pulses and reduces the ignition threshold of the slapper detonator to below 1000 V. This will contribute to the miniaturization and low cost of EFI.

Passive electrochemical hydrogen recombiner for hydrogen safety systems:prospects

This paper presents the concept of a passive electrochemical hydrogen recombiner(PEHR).The reaction energy of the recombination of hydrogen and oxygen is used as a source of electrical energy according to the operating principle for hydrogen fuel cells to establish forced circulation of the hydrogen mixture as an alternative to natural circulation(as is not utilized in conventional passive autocatalytic hydrogen recombiners currently used in nuclear power plants(NPPs)).The proposed concept of applying the physical operation principles of a PEHR based on a fuel cell simultaneously increases both productivity in terms of recombined hydrogen and the concentration threshold of flameless operation(the‘ignition’limit).Thus,it is possible to reliably ensure the hydrogen explosion safety of NPPs under all conditions,including beyond-design accidents.An experimental setup was assembled to test a laboratory sample of a membrane electrode assembly(MEA)at various hydrogen concentrations near the catalytic surfaces of the electrodes,and the corresponding current–voltage characteristics were recorded.The simplest MEA based on the Advent P1100W PBI membrane demonstrated stable performance(delivery of electrical power)over a wide range of hydrogen concentrations.

Effects of I-EGR and Pre-Injection on Performance of Gasoline Compression Ignition(GCI)at Low-Load Condition

Gasoline compression ignition(GCI)has been considered as a promising combustion concept to yield ultralow NOX and soot emissions while maintaining high thermal efficiency.However,how to improve the low-load performance becomes an urgent issue to be solved.In this paper,a GCI engine model was built to investigate the effects of internal EGR(i-EGR)and pre-injection on in-cylinder temperature,spatial concentration of mixture and OH radical,combustion and emission characteristics,and the control strategy for improving the combustion performance was further explored.The results showed an obvious expansion of the zone with an equivalence ratio between 0.8∼1.2 is realized by higher pre-injection ratios,and the s decreases with the increase of pre-injection ratio,but increases with the increase of i-EGR ratio.The high overlap among the equivalentmixture zone,the hightemperature zone,and the OH radical-rich zone can be achieved by higher i-EGR ratio coupled with higher preinjection ratio.By increasing the pre-injection ratio,the combustion efficiency increases first and then decreases,also achieves the peak value with a pre-injection ratio of 60%and is unaffected by i-EGR.The emissions of CO,HC,NOX,and soot can also be reduced to low levels by the combination of higher i-EGR ratios and a pre-injection ratio of 60%.

Non-isothermal oxidation and ignition prediction of Ti-Cr alloys

The non-isothermal oxidation behavior and oxide scale microstructure of Ti-Cr alloy （0≤w（Cr）≤25%） were studied from room temperature to 1723 K by thermogravimetric analysis （TGA）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The influencing mechanism of chromium on the oxidation resistance of Ti-Cr alloys was discussed. The results show that the oxidation resistance of the alloys decreases with Cr below a critical chromium content wC and increases above wC; above 1000 K, the oxidation kinetics obeys parabolic rule and titanium dominates the oxidation process; after oxidation, the oxygen-diffusing layer is present in the alloy matrix, the oxide scale is mainly composed of rutile whose internal layer is rich in chromium, and chromium oxides separated out from TiO2 near the alloy-oxide interface improve the oxidation resistance. Ignition of metals and alloys is a fast non-isothermal oxidation process and the oxidation mechanism of Ti-Cr alloys during ignition is predicted.