Investigations of Reacting Energetic Materials

Highly accurate measurements of detonation propagation and product states are essential to predict and understand the operation of explosive systems. DE-9 is responsible for measuring the reaction rate in both pristine and damaged energetic materials undergoing detonation or deflagration. The measurements are intended to

• directly support and validate detonation theory and modeling efforts,
• ensure proper operation of existing explosive systems, and
• explore the potential of both novel and improvised explosive devices.

Measurement techniques use both standard and custom explosive test configurations in conjunction with an indoor, climate-controlled, walk-in firing vessel, which is able to handle explosive loads up to 10 kg TNT equivalent. This allows us the flexibility to perform multiple simple experiments per day or more complex tests requiring multiple days to setup. Cooling, heating, and pressurization systems are available to simulate abnormal thermal and atmospheric environments. Available diagnostics include high speed framing and streak cameras, VISAR, streak spectroscopy, RAMAN, piezoelectric transducers, and ionization pins.

Customers can either supply an experimental assembly or allow the team to design a test to meet their needs. Our research scientists have expertise in all areas of condensed-phase and gas-phase combustion and detonation testing and theory, as well as optical design. Our firing site team has extensive design and machining capabilities. We work closely with DE-9's Detonation Theory and Modeling Team and customers to ensure that our experimental efforts provide data suitable for verification and validation efforts.