Orica Miningsservices är ett företag som tillverkar sprängämnen till civil förbrukning. I deras produktutbud finns ett sätt att initiera en sprängning utan att använda elektriska sprängkapslar.  De använder en plastslang som är belagd med ett tunt sprängämnesskikt runt kanten på insidan, och sprängämnen kallas HMX. De finns idag ett analogt detekteringssystem som är baserat på optisk detektering. En lasergivare skickar ljuset igenom plastslangen och den detekteras med en fotocell. För ett säkert mätresultat används två lasergivare med respektive fotodetektorer, de mäter horisontellt respektive vertikalt. Deras resultatvärden summeras i en OP-förstärkare. Vid fel laddmängden ska en gränsvärdesvakt dra igång ett relä. Dessutom skickas utsignalen till en PLC för att visa värden på en operatörspanel. Projektet handlar om att förbättra detekteringssystemet med mikrokontroller. Den skulle A/D-omvandlas utsignalen från förstärkare och dra igång ett relä vid fel laddmängden. Dessutom ska mängdvärden visas hela tiden på en LCD-display. För att kommunicera med PLC, D/A-omvandlas den digitala utsignalen inne i mikrokontrollen och skickar in en analog signal. Som mikrokontroller används Xmega A1 Xplained. I projektet framställdes en prototyp som provkördes med tillfredställande resultat. Rapporten beskriver teori bakom detekteringsmaterial och detekteringssystem. Dessutom tar den upp projektarbetsgång, mätresultaten och de vidareförbättringar som kan göras.

The effect of viscoplastic deformation of the energetic material HMX on the mechanical, thermal, and ignition response of a two-phase (HMX and Estane) polymer bonded explosive (PBX) is analyzed. Specific attention is given to the high strain rate response of the material during the first passage of the stress wave when impacted by a constant velocity piston. PBX microstructures are subjected to impact loading from a constant velocity piston traveling at a rate of 50 to 200 m/s using a 2D cohesive finite element (CFEM) framework. The initial focus is to fully quantify the effect that viscoplastic HMX has on the behavior of a PBX composite, a thorough thermo-mechanical analysis is performed. The thermal response of the PBX specimens having viscoplastic HMX is characterized by a significant reduction in average heating, peak temperature rise, and the number or amount of material experiencing localized heating (hotspots). This reduction in heating is found to be accomplished through the mechanism of greatly reducing the density of fracture in the PBX. The second focus of this work is to evaluate the ignition sensitivity of these materials to determine the effect, if any, of the viscoplastic HMX. Viscoplastic HMX is shown to increase the minimum load duration, mean load duration, and range of critical load durations required for ignition. A 3D crystal plasticity framework is employed to quantify the potential heterogeneities in the stress and temperature field resulting from the inherent crystalline anisotropy of the HMX grains. It is found that in a densely packed HMX, the heterogeneities due to material anisotropy can contribute to increased stress gradients and localized temperature rise. Finally, the 2D framework is used to study a hypothetical composite containing HMX grains suspended in an aluminum matrix. This investigation focuses not on the feasibility of producing such a composite, but on determining whether such an arrangement would be advantageous from a mechanical and ignition sensitivity standpoint. Results indicate that this hypothetical composite would be considerably less sensitive than a similar PBX.

L’utilisation industrielle ou militaire des explosifs est largement répandue. La sécurité est devenue un axe majeur avec notamment l’ignition involontaire des explosifs composés de HMX lors des impacts à basse vitesse. L’objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer à la compréhension des mécanismes dissipatifs à l’origine des échauffements locaux dans le matériau. Le développement d’un essai aux barres d’Hopkinson a permis de coupler de grandes vitesses de déformations à des pressions élevées pour compléter les données expérimentales. Cet essai a montré un angle de frottement quasiment identique à celui obtenu en quasistatique mais une contrainte de cohésion supérieure d’environ 25 MPa. Ensuite, pour observer les mécanismes pouvant être sources d’échauffement, un essai de compression dans la tranche a été développé avec des observations en temps réel. Celles-ci ont permis de conclure qu’il y a très peu de frottements entre les gros grains et la matrice (l’ensemble des petits grains, du liant et de la porosité). De la plasticité des grains de HMX a pu être observée mais surtout beaucoup d’endommagement dans certaines zones y compris dans la matrice. Une microfissuration très intense de certains grains a été observée. Parallèlement, une représentation numérique biphasique (gros grains de HMX et matrice) de toute la microstructure du matériau a été considérée. Une confrontation entre les observations expérimentales et les simulations a permis de déterminer le seuil de plasticité du HMX. Le comportement de la matrice a été identifié pour prendre en compte l’effet de vitesse et l’endommagement observé. Enfin, les confrontations entre les essais et les simulations de ceux-ci ont montré que les échauffements devraient plutôt se localiser dans la matrice que dans les gros grains de HMX et que le mécanisme le plus probable est le frottement de lèvres de microfissures. / Safety of industrial or military explosives is a major focus to prevent inadvertent ignition due to accidental loading as, for example, low-velocity impact. Our aim is to understand the dissipative mechanisms at work which could heat a pressed HMX-based PBX. A test based on the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bars system is proposed to carry out a dynamic triaxial compression test. This test simultaneously associates a high strain rate and a high pressure. Data have shown almost the same friction angle as during quasi-static experiments, but a higher cohesive stress. Then, A reversed edge-on impact test has been developed. This experiment enables the real-time observation of the deformation mechanisms at the microstructural scale. No relative displacement is observed between the biggest HMX grains and the matrix made of the smallest grains, the binder and the porosity. Plasticity has been observed into some HMX grains as well as damage by microcracking. Meanwhile, a biphasic (HMX grains and matrix) numerical representation of the material microstructure has been considered. A comparison between experimental observations and simulations is used to determine the yield stress of HMX. The behavior of the matrix has been determined to account for the influence of the strain rate and of the damage. Lastly, a comparison between tests and simulations has highlighted (1) that heating should rather be located in the matrix than in the biggest HMX grains and (2) that the most likely heating mechanism is the friction of microcracks lips.

The energetic compounds TNT (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene), RDX (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine), and HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine) contaminate military testing ranges worldwide yet are known to be degraded by plants and microbes in the laboratory. However, these contaminants remain persistent in the environment and represent a health threat to both humans and ecosystems. The use of traditional soil remediation technologies, such as landfilling or incineration, require large excavation costs and disrupt the ecology of the site. Phytoremediation, the use of green plants for the in situ treatment of contaminants, may be the most appropriate means of treating energetic residues present at military testing ranges. Eglin Air Force Base (EAFB), located near Niceville, FL, is one of the largest military installations in the world and holds many plant and animal species which are threatened or endangered. The use of explosives during training exercises on firing ranges at EAFB has resulted in contamination of energetics on range soils. In an effort to increase range sustainability with respect to explosives contamination, EAFB has been established as the site where phytoremediation processes will be explored for this research.

abstract: The study of deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) in explosives is of prime importance with regards to insensitive munitions (IM). Critical damage owing to thermal or shock stimuli could translate to significant loss of life and material. The present study models detonation and deflagration of a commonly used granular explosive: cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine, HMX. A robust literature review is followed by computational modeling of gas gun and DDT tube test data using the Sandia National Lab three-dimensional multi-material Eulerian hydrocode CTH. This dissertation proposes new computational practices and models that aid in predicting shock stimulus IM response. CTH was first used to model experimental data sets of DDT tubes from both Naval Surface Weapons Center and Los Alamos National Laboratory which were initiated by pyrogenic material and a piston, respectively. Analytical verification was performed, where possible, for detonation via empirical based equations at the Chapman Jouguet state with errors below 2.1%, and deflagration via pressure dependent burn rate equations. CTH simulations include inert, history variable reactive burn and Arrhenius models. The results are in excellent agreement with published HMX detonation velocities. Novel additions include accurate simulation of the pyrogenic material BKNO3 and the inclusion of porosity in energetic materials. The treatment of compaction is especially important in modeling precursory hotspots, caused by hydrodynamic collapse of void regions or grain interactions, prior to DDT of granular explosives. The CTH compaction model of HMX was verified within 11% error via a five pronged validation approach using gas gun data and employed use of a newly generated set of P-α parameters for granular HMX in a Mie-Gruneisen Equation of State. Next, the additions of compaction were extended to a volumetric surface burning model of HMX and compare well to a set of empirical burn rates. Lastly, the compendium of detonation and deflagration models was applied to the aforementioned DDT tubes and demonstrate working functionalities of all models, albeit at the expense of significant computational resources. A robust hydrocode methodology is proposed to make use of the deflagration, compaction and detonation models as a means to predict IM response to shock stimulus of granular explosive materials. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Aerospace Engineering 2015

No description available.

O objetivo desta dissertação foi a síntese de ciclotetrametileno tetranitroamina (HMX, octogênio), um material altamente energético, e sua caracterização por diversas técnicas. A caracterização deste material foi feita por cromatografia líquida (HPLC), calorimetria de exploratória diferencial (DSC), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (SEM), e espectroscopia de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR), utilizando técnicas de transmissão, reflexão e/ou detecção fotoacústica (PAS), em ampla faixa espectral. O teor de HMX em misturas com ciclotrimetileno trinitroamina (RDX, hexogênio) foi determinado por FTIR de transmissão, nas regiões do infravermelho médio (MIR) e próximo (NIR), enquanto que a detecção de b em a HMX foi determinada por FTIR-MIR de transmissão, e a análise de cobertura de HMX foi feita utilizando-se as técnicas de FTIR-MIR e PAS (detecção fotoacústica). Foi avaliada a aplicabilidade das técnicas FTIR para a caracterização das formas a, b e g HMX e de misturas com outros explosivos, sendo verificado que, o uso dessas técnicas para a caracterização e quantificação de misturas explosivas de HMX e RDX, é útil para a especificação de explosivos.

O mecanismo da decomposição de nitraminas, especialmente do HMX, é complexo e depende das condições experimentais utilizadas. Além disso, com a variedade de métodos de cálculo disponíveis, os valores dos parâmetros cinéticos encontrados na literatura variam numa ampla faixa de valores. Este trabalho visa encontrar a melhor condição experimental e o melhor método de cálculo para obtenção de parâmetros cinéticos baseado na comparação de ensaios realizados com as técnicas DSC e TG nos modos isotérmicos e não-isotérmicos com ensaios de explosão térmica, "slow cookoff", realizados com corpos-de-prova de explosivo PBX contendo 80% de HMX e 20% de ligante poliuretânico na razão de aquecimento de 3C/h. As técnicas DSC e TG são boas ferramentas pois são seguras e permitem variações das condições experimentais. Foi avaliada a influência da granulometria, da quantidade de massa, da razão de aquecimento e da temperatura das isotermas. O método de cálculo mais indicado para obtenção de parâmetros cinéticos é o método isoconversional. Os ensaios de explosão térmica mostraram que a decomposição do PBX/HMX ocorre em quatro etapas. Foi observado que antes da decomposição atingir a etapa final, a reação não se auto-sustenta se a fonte de calor externa for retirada. Após um tratamento térmico até temperaturas em que ocorram degradação parcial, o tempo de indução torna-se menor e a temperatura de explosão foi 20C mais baixa. Baseado nos resultados, recomenda-se que o uso de composições PBX/HMX seja em temperaturas abaixo de 130C.

A one-dimensional, steady-state numerical model of the combustion of homogeneous solid propellant has been developed. The combustion processes is modeled in three regions: solid, two-phase (liquid and gas) and gas. Conservation of energy and mass equations are solved in the two-phase and gas regions and the eigenvalue of the system (the mass burning rate) is converged by matching the heat flux at the interface of these two regions. The chemical reactions of the system are modeled using a global kinetic mechanism in the two-phase region and an elementary kinetic mechanism in the gas region. The model has been applied to RDX, HMX and GAP. There is very reasonable agreement between experimental data and model predictions for burning rate, temperature sensitivity, surface temperature, adiabatic flame temperature, species concentration profiles and melt-layer thickness. Many of the similarities and differences in the combustion of RDX and HMX are explained from sensitivity analysis results. The combustion characteristics of RDX and HMX are similar because of their similar chemistry. Differences in combustion characteristics arise due to differences in melting temperature, vapor pressure and initial decomposition steps. A reduced mechanism consisting of 18 species and 39 reactions was developed from the Melius-Yetter RDX mechanism (45 species, 232 reactions). This reduced mechanism reproduces most of the predictions of the full mechanism but is 7.5 times faster. Because of lack of concrete thermophysical property data for GAP, the modeling results are preliminary but indicate what type of experimental data is necessary before GAP can be modeled with more certainty.

First-principles density functional theory calculations were performed on a number of important energetic molecular crystals, pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX), cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX), and nitromethane. Simulations of hydrostatic and uniaxial compressions, as well as predictions of ground-state structures at ambient conditions, were performed using the DFT codes CASTEP and VASP. The first calculations done with CASTEP using GGA-PW yielded reasonable agreement with experiment for the calculated isothermal EOS for PETN-I from hydrostatic compression data, yet the EOS for β -HMX shows substantial deviation from experiment. Interesting anisotropic behavior of the shear-stress maxima were exhibited by both crystals upon uniaxial compression. It was predicted that the <100> direction, the least sensitive direction of PETN, has significantly different values for shear stress maxima τyx and τzx, in contrast to the more sensitive directions, <110> and <001>. In addition, non-monotonic dependence of one of the shear stresses as a function of strain was observed upon compression of PETN in the <100> direction. VASP calculations were later performed, and the results yielded good qualitative agreement with available experimental data for the calculated isothermal EOS and equilibrium structures for PETN-I, β-HMX, α-RDX, and nitromethane. Using VASP, uniaxial compression simulations were performed in the <100>, <010>, <001>, <110>, <101>, <011>, and <111> directions for all crystals up to the compression ratio V/V0 = 0.70. The VASP calculations of PETN reproduced the CASTEP results of significantly different values of τyx and τzx for the insensitive <100> compression, and relatively high and equal values of τyx and τzx for the sensitive <110> and <001> compressions. A correlation between this behavior of shear stress upon uniaxial compression and sensitivity was suggested, and predictions of anisotropic sensitivity of HMX, RDX, and nitromethane were made. Further analysis of the VASP results for PETN do not indicate a correlation between sensitivity and shear stress maxima as a function of longitudinal stress, where longitudinal stress is an appropriate experimental independent variable for comparison. The validity of a correlation between shear stress maxima and sensitivity requires further investigation. Further characterization of the anisotropic constitutive relationships in PETN was performed.