Napolean Dynamite
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Why Al powder in torpedo warheads?
I was looking at a composition used in some torpedoes and saw something like TNT/RDX/Al with aluminum making up around 18% of the composition. Where
does all the Al get the oxygen from to combust under water?
According to Wiki, torpex was a common composition used in WW2 torpedoes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpex
this is also from the wiki page: "Although both RDX and TNT have a negative oxygen balance, the superheated aluminium component tends to contribute
primarily by extending the expansion time of the explosive product gasses "
But this does not directly say it is oxidized in the reaction.
[Edited on 16-4-2014 by Napolean Dynamite]
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Bert
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Mood: " I think we are all going to die. I think that love is an illusion. We are flawed, my darling".
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Water vapor is a pretty good Oxidizer, produced by HE or from sea water.
Google "Torpex"
And check your U2U.
[Edited on 16-4-2014 by Bert]
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Dany
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An example of composition that contain up to 35% Al is HBX-3 (RDX/TNT/Al/Wax----31/29/35/5). Chemical Explosives in munition are used to generate
blast wave and fragmentation under the action of explosive detonation. In certain applications, one of the two effects (fragmentation or blast) is
desirable over the other. In underwater detonation, water shock wave is more important for inflicting damage to a navy vessels than fragmentation.
When an aluminum rich explosive detonate underwater, it generate a lot of hot detonation products which heat unreacted aluminum and vaporize water
from the seawater. The aluminum can react with water so as to generate more heat and detonation products which serve to augment the pressure inside
the underwater bubble (formed from detonation gaseous and solid products). The bubble increase in size and generate a powerful shock wave through the
water. Although HBX-3 and HBX-1 are good underwater explosives, their fragmentation or ballistic capability is poor. To demonstrate this we will use
the Gurney velocity as criterion. The Gurney velocity which is a characteristic of an explosive material is a good indication of an explosive to
accelerate metals. The Gurney velocity of HBX-1 and HBX-3 is 2.47 and 1.90 km/s, respectively vs 2.97 and 2.90 km/s for HMX and PBX-9404,
respectively [1]. In Certain applications fragmentation is of primordial importance such as anti-aircraft or anti-ballistic missile warheads. These
warhead (e.g., centre core KE-rod warhead , Gimbaled warheads , Jelly roll warhead...) rely on different mechanisms of
fragmentation to kill ballistic missile or nuclear re-entry vehicle (a short explanation on fragmentation warheads can be found in the attached file).
I should mention that one of the most respectable western scientist working on the design of fragmentation warheads is Dr. Richard Lloyd
Richard Lloyd worked more than 20 years in Raytheon company for missile warheads design. One of the project that
Lloyd worked on was the famous U.S PATRIOT missile.
For a good reference on underwater explosive read the books of Robert H. Cole (underwater detonation)
Reference :
[1] T. Elshenawy, CRITERIA OF DESIGN IMPROVEMENT OF SHAPED CHARGES USED AS OIL WELL PERFORATORS, (PhD thesis)
Dany.
Attachment: Military Applications of Explosive propulsion.pdf (377kB)
This file has been downloaded 423 times
[Edited on 16-4-2014 by Dany]
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