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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Simplified quantitative analysis method and its application in the insitu synthesized copper-based azide chips

Copper-based azide(Cu(N_(3))2 or CuN_(3),CA)chips synthesized by in-situ azide reaction and utilized in miniaturized explosive systems has become a hot research topic in recent years.However,the advantages of in-situ synthesis method,including small size and low dosage,bring about difficulties in quantitative analysis and differences in ignition capabilities of CA chips.The aim of present work is to develop a simplified quantitative analysis method for accurate and safe analysis of components in CA chips to evaluate and investigate the corresponding ignition ability.In this work,Cu(N_(3))2 and CuN_(3)components in CA chips were separated through dissolution and distillation by utilizing the difference in solubility and corresponding content was obtained by measuring N_(3)-concentration through spectrophotometry.The spectrophotometry method was optimized by studying influencing factors and the recovery rate of different separation methods was studied,ensuring the accuracy and reproducibility of test results.The optimized method is linear in range from 1.0-25.0 mg/L,with a correlation coefficient R^(2)=0.9998,which meets the requirements of CA chips with a milligram-level content test.Compared with the existing ICP method,component analysis results of CA chips obtained by spectrophotometry are closer to real component content in samples and have satisfactory accuracy.Moreover,as its application in miniaturized explosive systems,the ignition ability of CA chips with different component contents for direct ink writing CL-20 and the corresponding mechanism was studied.This study provided a basis and idea for the design and performance evaluation of CA chips in miniaturized explosive systems.

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.

Chemical and mechanical properties of stainless, environment-friendly, and nonflammable Mg alloys (SEN alloys): A review

This review article provides overall understanding of stainless,environment-friendly,and nonflammable Mg alloys(SEN alloys)recently developed at the Korea Institute of Materials Science.SEN alloys are produced by adding small amounts of Ca and Y(each<1 wt%)into commercial Mg–Al based alloys,resulting in exceptional ignition and corrosion resistances and impressive mechanical properties.Their main advantages of SEN alloys are as follows.(1)A dense multi-oxide layer of SEN alloys comprising MgO,CaO,and Y_(2)O_(3) impedes the outward dispersion of Mg vapor and the inward penetration of O_(2) during oxidation,thereby enhancing the oxidation and ignition resistances.(2)The presence of Ca-and Y-based second-phase particles in SEN alloys can enhance their corrosion resistance because Ca-containing particles prevent the spread of corrosion,and the replacement of Al-containing particles with less noble ones containing Y(e.g.,Al–Mn–Y or Al–Y particles)retards corrosion.(3)The addition of minor amounts of Ca and Y renders excellent mechanical properties due to improved strengthening effects.These enhanced properties are attributed to more pronounced dynamic recrystallization and grain refining behaviors caused by the second-phase particles during extrusion.(4)Despite the presence of various types of second-phase particles,the fatigue properties of SEN9 alloys are similar to those of commercial AZ91 alloys.(5)Simultaneous introduction of Ca and Y suppresses the formation of Mg17Al12 discontinuous precipitates during aging,leading to the enhanced elongation of aged SEN alloys.(6)Adding mischmetal into the SEN9 alloy leads to a six-fold enhancement in extrudability.Consequently,the studies conducted on SEN alloys demonstrate their excellent ignition and corrosion resistances and mechanical properties,which broaden the industrial applications of Mg alloys by addressing their inherent weaknesses.

An effective catalyst carrier SiO_(2):Enhancing catalytic and combustion properties of CuFe_(2)O_(4)on energetic components

To enhance the catalytic activity of copper ferrite(CuFe_(2)O_(4))nanoparticle and promote its application as combustion catalyst,a low-cost silicon dioxide(SiO_(2))carrier was employed to construct a novel CuFe_(2)O_(4)/SiO_(2)binary composites via solvothermal method.The phase structure,morphology and catalytic activity of CuFe_(2)O_(4)/SiO_(2)composites were studied firstly,and thermal decomposition,combustion and safety performance of ammonium perchlorate(AP)and 1,3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine(RDX)with it affecting were then systematically analyzed.The results show that CuFe_(2)O_(4)/SiO_(2)composite can remarkably either advance the decomposition peak temperature of AP and RDX,or reduce the apparent activation energy at their main decomposition zone.Moreover,the flame propagation rate of RDX was promoted by about 2.73 times with SiO_(2)content of 3 wt%,and safety property of energetic component was also improved greatly,in which depressing the electrostatic discharge sensitivity of pure RDX by about 1.89 times.In addition,the effective range of SiO_(2)carrier content in the binary catalyst is found to be 3 to 5 wt%.Therefore,SiO_(2)opens a new insight on the design of combustion catalyst carrier and will promote the application of CuFe_(2)O_(4)catalyst in solid propellant.

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.

Micro-aluminum powder with bi-or tri-component alloy coating as a promising catalyst:Boosting pyrolysis and combustion of ammonium perchlorate

A novel design of micro-aluminum(μAl)powder coated with bi-/tri-component alloy layer,such as:Ni-P and Ni-P-Cu(namely,Al@Ni-P,Al@Ni-P-Cu,respectively),as combustion catalysts,were introduced to release its huge energy inside Al-core and promote rapid pyrolysis of ammonium perchlorate(AP)at a lower temperature in aluminized propellants.The microstructure of Al@Ni-P-Cu demonstrates that a three-layer Ni-P-Cu shell,with the thickness of~100 nm,is uniformly supported byμAl carrier(fuel unit),which has an amorphous surface with a thickness of~2.3 nm(catalytic unit).The peak temperature of AP with the addition of Al@Ni-P-Cu(3.5%)could significantly drop to 316.2℃ at high-temperature thermal decomposition,reduced by 124.3℃,in comparison to that of pure AP with 440.5℃.It illustrated that the introduction of Al@Ni-P-Cu could weaken or even eliminate the obstacle of AP pyrolysis due to its reduction of activation energy with 118.28 kJ/mol.The laser ignition results showed that the ignition delay time of Al@Ni-P-Cu/AP mixture with 78 ms in air is shorter than that of Al@Ni-P/AP(118 ms),decreased by 33.90%.Those astonishing breakthroughs were attributed to the synergistic effects of adequate active sites on amorphous surface and oxidation exothermic reactions(7597.7 J/g)of Al@Ni-P-Cu,resulting in accelerated mass and/or heat transfer rate to catalyze AP pyrolysis and combustion.Moreover,it is believed to provide an alternative Al-based combustion catalyst for propellant designer,to promote the development the propellants toward a higher energy.

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.

Fabrication and characterization of multi-scale coated boron powders with improved combustion performance:A brief review

Boron has high mass and volume calorific values,but it is difficult to ignite and has low combustion efficiency.This literature review summarizes the strategies that are used to solve the above-mentioned problems,which include coatings of boron by using fluoride compounds,energetic composites,metal fuels,and metal oxides.Coating techniques include recrystallization,dual-solvent,phase transfer,electrospinning,etc.As one of the effective coating agents,the fluorine compounds can react with the oxide shell of boron powder.In comparison,the energetic composites can effectively improve the flame temperature of boron powder and enhance the evaporation efficiency of oxide film as a condensed product.Metals and metal oxides would react with boron powder to form metal borides with a lower ignition point,which could reduce its ignition temperature.

Shock Initiation Experiments with Modeling on a DNAN Based MeltCast Insensitive Explosive

2,4-dinitroanisole(DNAN)is a good replacement for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene(TNT)in melt-cast explosives due to its superior insensitivity.With the increasing use of DNAN-based melt-cast explosives,the prediction of reaction violence and hazard assessment of the explosives subjected to shock is of great significance.This study investigated the shock initiation characteristics for a DNAN-based melt-cast explosive,DHFA,using the one-dimensional Lagrangian apparatus.The embedded manganin gauges in the apparatus record the pressure histories at four Lagrangian positions and show that shock-todetonation transition in DHFA needs a high input shock pressure.The experimental data are analyzed to calibrate the Ignition and Growth model.The calibration is performed using an objective function based on both pressure history and the arrival time of shock.Good agreement between experimental and calculated pressure histories indicates the high accuracy of the calibrated parameters with the optimization method.

Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the Large Hadron Collider for Heavy Ion Fusion

Heavy Ion Fusion makes use of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Lab and the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland for Inertial Confinement Fusion. Two Storage Rings, which may or may not initially be needed, added to each of the Colliders increases the intensity of the Heavy Ion Beams making it comparable to the Total Energy delivered to the DT target by the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore Lab. The basic Physics involved gives Heavy Ion Fusion an advantage over Laser Fusion because heavy ions have greater penetration power than photons. The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider can be used as a Prototype Heavy Ion Fusion Reactor for the Large Hadron Collider.

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.

“Sparking”and“Igniting”Key Publications of 2020 Nobel Prize Laureates

Purpose:This article aims to determine the percentage of"Sparking"articles among the work of this year’s Nobel Prize winners in medicine,physics,and chemistry.Design/methodology/approach:We focus on under-cited influential research among the key publications as mentioned by the Nobel Prize Committee for the 2020 Noble Prize laureates.Specifically,we extracted data from the Web of Science,and calculated the Sparking Indices using the formulas as proposed by Hu and Rousseau in 2016 and 2017.In addition,we identified another type of igniting articles based on the notion in 2017.Findings:In the fields of medicine and physics,the proportions of articles with sparking characteristics share 78.571%and 68.75%respectively,yet,in chemistry 90%articles characterized by"igniting".Moreover,the two types of articles share more than 93%in the work of the Nobel Prize included in this study.Research limitations:Our research did not cover the impact of topic,socio-political,and author’s reputation on the Sparking Indices.Practical implications:Our study shows that the Sparking Indices truly reflect influence of the best research work,so it can be used to detect under-cited influential articles,as well as identifying fundamental work.Originality/value:Our findings suggest that the Sparking Indices have good applicability for research evaluation.