The initiation of explosion in solid secondary explosives

Abstract

Two problems in thermal explosion theory are examined. In the first of these, one face of a slab of solid explosive is supposed to be placed in contact with a constant-temperature bath. The appropriate heat conduction equation is integrated numerically and certain empirical relations, which enable the explosion ignition time to be correlated with the temperature of the bath and the initial uniform temperature of the explosive sample are derived, and they are applied to a discussion of the ‘thermal sensitivity’ of explosives. In the second problem, a rapid pulse of thermal radiation is assumed to fall on a steel plate covering a mass of solid explosive. The radiation is partly absorbed at the steel surface and heat is conducted through the steel into the explosive. The heat conduction equations are integrated numerically and certain critical conditions under which explosion only just manages to occur are discussed.