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Evidence for the Hypothesis of Ignition of Propellants by Metallic Vapour Deposition
Author(s) -
Taylor Michael J.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.56
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1521-4087
pISSN - 0721-3115
DOI - 10.1002/prep.200290002
Subject(s) - ignition system , propellant , radiative transfer , radiant flux , materials science , radiant energy , deposition (geology) , thermodynamics , mechanics , energy flux , metal , radiation , chemistry , metallurgy , optics , physics , paleontology , astronomy , biology , organic chemistry , sediment
This paper examines the experimental evidence to support the hypothesis of ignition of energetic material by the process of metallic vapour deposition. The hypothesis has been presented previously, and this is the continuation of the work. The hypothesis has been developed at QinetiQ to explain certain measurements of incident radiative flux during electrothermal‐chemical (ETC) experimentation, which show no correlation with the ignition event. Indeed, measured levels of radiation have been so low that radiative energy transfer for ETC plasma ignition could be said to be negligible. Measurement of the thickness of a metal layer resulting from dropwise vapour condensation gives good correlation to the flux requirements for ignition.