Influence of absorbed energy distribution along beam radius on ignition threshold of condensed explosives

Ignition of organic explosives by an electron beam

“…This experiment is well explained if thermoelastic stresses, which are known to affect the activation energy of chemical reaction [5], and radiation-thermal mechanism of initiation [6] is taken into account. It should be noted, that the exothermic reaction makes a major contribution to the process of the ignition of the explosive by the nanosecond electron beam.…”

“…The experimental curve of the density distribution of absorbed energy for PETN [8] is satisfactorily described by equation [5,6]:…”

“…Recently there has been a considerable increase in the number of papers on both experimental studies and numerical simulation of the conditions of explosive initiation by electron pulse [1][2][3][4][5][6]. It is caused by both the development of the new explosive initiation methods and scientific interest in defining the initiation mechanism in order to regulate the threshold energy of initiation purposefully.…”

“…Nowadays there are three points of view on the mechanism of PETN initiation by the electron beam: the electric discharge model [2], the thermal model [1,5] and the torch model [4]. The metal is known to attract electrons.…”

“…Thus, if PETN detonation can be caused by electric breakdown then the direction of its propagation contradicts experimentally shown direction of detonation propagation when the copper plate is used. Paper [5] examines the thermal model of PETN initiation which has the system EPJ Web of Conferences of coupled thermoelasticity equations as its basis. Paper [6] analyzes radiation-thermal mechanism of PETN initiation by the electron beam.…”