ARTILLERY COURSE BOOK 2 INFORMATION ON EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES.INFORMATION FROM INTERIOR BALLISTICS

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January 1, 1949
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-# 25X1A2g LJ", oved, For Release 1999/09/08. : ;cIA-.RDP78=0861` 000100030001-9 25X1 A2cr ARTILLERY 25X1A2g 25X1A2g Approved For Release 1999/09/08: CIA-RDP78-04861A060`0030001-9 Colonel STOLBOSHINSKI A. P. Colonel NIKIFOROV N. N. DOTSENT (Instructor - T) Bachelor of Military Sciences. ARTILLERY COURSE BOOK 2 INFORMATION ON EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES INFOEU TATION ; FRONT INTERIOR BALLISTICS Under the General Editorship of Maj. Gen, of the Engineering Artillery Service Military Publishers to the Ministry of the Armed Forces M 0 S C 0 AT -- 149 Zsd~ 9 one 25X1A2g Approved For Release 1999/09/08 CIA-RDP78=04891A '--4903090-1-4- . Approved For Release 1099/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861 A'000100030001-9 SECRET ARTILLERY COURSE INFORMATION ONE PLOSIVE SUBSTANCES INFORvLATION ]OM IN ERIOR BATlISTICS Colonel NIKIFOROV, N. N. This book is intended as a Manual for Students of Artillery Schools and may be used as a Guide Boole.for Officers of the Artillery of the Soviet Army in their independent studies. r Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : C1CR1P78-04861A000100030001-9 1. Information on"Explosive Colonel STOLBOSHINSKI, A. and Colonel NIKIFOROV, N.. N. 2. Information from Interior Ballistic PART ~O N E INFORMATION ON :'EXPLOSIVE. SUBSTANCES CPYRGHT GEI\fERJAL FEATURES OF EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES ON THE HISTORY OF EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES The first explosive substance (BB) known to man from the earliest times was the smoky (black) powder of.saltpetre 9 Sulphur and carbon. I Who and when this powder was discovered is still in doubt; its origin is the subject of a whole series of legends, but there is reason to suppose that it was invented in CHINA or INDIA. The oldest written re.cords:of these: peoples are proof of that powder was familiar to men several centuries before our era (i.e. before the birth of Christ - T). The ARABS adopted powder -from the CHINESE .who oa=encing.:.from VIII century of the Christian era, Were in close trading relations with the Chinese; it is interesting to note that the two, Arab words .-for, saltpetre are Chinese Salt and Chinese snow. Using powder to begin with merely as a com- bustive means, the Arabs soon discovered its propellent propensities and started to make wide use of it for practical purposes. A special literature made its appearance among them on how to manufacture..:and user black (smoky) powder. Early in the XIV th. Century Europeans became acquainted with powder through the Arabs. The first to make its acquaintance. were the-Spaniards who were engaged in wars with the Arabs over the domination of the Iberian Peninsula. 1. BRIEF I1N'FOR 1jATION In Russia powder was beginning to. be used from the second half of the XIV th century. In a NOVGOROD Year Book for the year 1382 there is mention of the names for fire weapons : "Self Shooters," "tyufyaki" (modern ."matre-ss,;Palliasse idlers, drones, good-for-nothing-T), "let-offs" and push-offs ("pushki" - guns, T). The ALEKSANDROV Year Book for 1382 gives an account of the siege of IM,IOSCO',`F by the armies of the TARTAR K: !2,T TOKHTAMYSH. The Chronicler states: "The citizens defending the city and opposing the TARTARS, some shot arrows from the palliasades, others cast stones upon them, others let off guns against them and others "Self Shooters," filling the fire weapons and firing the powder, yet others let off'very great guns." 1 Powder is here considered as. one of the variations of explosive substances. The above from Old Slavonic - T. Approved For Release 1999/09/08: CIA-RDP78.04861A0001000300Q1-9 SECRET Approved For Release 1999/09/08:.CIA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 Approved For Release- 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP7&-04861 A000100030001-9 ! 1 SECRET --5- This. means I that ' in 1382 .powder visas already in' use in RUSSIA. Fosvder was already being produced in 14'OSC011 by the end of the XIV th. Contury.;and, as a..result of the careless handling of it afire broke out in .,i4.OO Of powder was MOSCOW burnt - at midnight did it-burn,' so says the Chronicler. The. first powder works were opened in MOSCOJ in 1494. Other toOns also began powder production apart from MAOSCO'll. Powder manufacture greatly developed under Ivan VASIL'EVICH THE DREAD (alias Ivan THE. TEP:RIBLE-T) on whose order powder works' were built in the va.cin i.ty of .M10SCO-1 and specially under PETER I who built the PETERSBURG, OKHTA and SESTRORETSK powder plants which in their productive capacity exceeded the ;;:'EST EUROPEAN powder factories of the time.. Later., in 1761, .S HUVA OV i.ntrpduced to the 't'echnology of smoky paNrder serious improvements which considerably increased the quality of smoky powder and heightened its stability when stored and in transport. The great Russian scientist INT. V. LOMONOSOV, apart from other works; also applied himself to the study of the laws of the combustion of pmider. He provided a series of outstanding theoretical conclusions in his work "Of the nature of powder.:`1 Black (smoky) powder ruled supreme and unchallenged for more than half a millennium,. until in the. second half of the XIX th century it was replaced by another and more potent explosive substance. 1 ;except ions to this is fulminating mercury (lit. T. ), which has. been kneum since 1799 and fulminating salts were known even earlier but found no practi- cal application. Fulminating mercury represented that class of explosive substances which are now-a-days, because of their effect, knovin as High Explosives_('brizantny-i" from the-French word 'brizer'_to destroy, cursh), and among .these it belongs to the category of initiating explosive substances used for initiating explosive processes. The discovery of fulminating mercury (and what is even more important, the. Aiet7hods ; of .making percussion caps with it) revolutionized warfare. Up to the time when. percussion caps were introduced charges in the rifles were fired by sparks generated by a flint striking against steel.,. This system of firing charges, did not increase the quick. firing propensities of rifles beyond one to 'two shots a minute; in this process flints failed to strike in 1-5% of cases and mere only for 40-50 shots; 'fire in strong winds, in rain and in snow was greatly. impeded,. The introduction of percussion caps increased the quick firing qualities of rifles, helped in firing in any weather,.introduced much that was new in the .technology of musketry and strongly influenced the tactics of battle. The next stage in the history of explosives was led in by the discovery of gun cotton in 1833. From the close of the' sixties of .the XIX th Century gun cotton begins to oust black powder (smoky) powder), first in blasting and then in explosive charges (principally in sea mines and torpedoes), and fxomthe early eighties it is being used as the main substance (for powder charges.), as at that time a way of manufacturing smokeless powder from gun cotton had been discovered, which in its ballistic qualities was found superior to black (smoky) powder. Following the appearance of gun cotton came another.High Explosive substance -- ni_tro-glycerine., accidentally discovered in 1876 while processing glycerine with a blend of nitrogen and .sulphur acids in one of the laboratories. ati:ng to the dangers attending the.. preparation and processing of nitro-glycerine, this sibstance received no practical application at that time. The first to point to the possibility of using nitro-glycerine blended with additional substances as an explosive for projectiles, was the celebrated Russian chemist N,N.: ZININ, the creator of aniline and organic dyes. Approved For Release 1999/09/08 CIMEPM CPYRGW oved For Releasel 999/09/08 DP78-04861A000100030001-9 wring the defence of S B4STOPOL (SEWSTOLPOL" - T) (1854) ZININ personaliy_yiorked on the preparation of nitro-glycerine for projectiles. 'he:. xppriments.carried out by N.N. ZININ and V.F. PETRUSBEVSKI lead to'concret:e results, but awing to the_ conservative tendencies of Czarist ureauorats their results were not exploited in RUSSIA. From 1860-1863 PETRUSEEVSIcI produced"160 puds (5760 lbs - T) of various dynamites from nitro- glycerine. A. NOBEL was well acquainted with the experiments of ZININ and PETRUSBEVSKI. He',happened at that.time to be in Russia and received the informati,on personally from ZININ. Using the results of --the work of the Russian chemists, A. NOBEL took out the patent for the invention of dynamite and built a.plant in Germany for its manufacture , Nitro-glycerine explosive substances'Imoun as dynamite were begun being used. for. blasting operations, At the moment nitro-glycerine and gun cotton are the basic materials in the preparation of smokeless poswwrders. In 1886 the high explosive qualities of picric acid became knawn, which from 1783 had been used as yellow paint. Picric acid entered military technology as melinite in Russia and France, liddite in England and Shimoze in Japan etc. The Russ an gunner S.V. PANUS1 {0-devoted much labour to the problem of using picric acid for explosive charges. He perished in 1892,from an accidental explosion during an experiment on melinite projectiles. Following melinite, an explosive substance was found with-better qualities than any preceding it - this was trinitrotoluol or t:rotil.(tol); in using melinite it w as found (fairly often) that there were premature explosions of projectiles., while trotil,proved nearly harmless in this connection. In a.short period of time trotil became for this reason the main explosive substance to be used for equipping artillery projectiles, mines, air bombs etc. This is to be explained as follovis: first, trotile has not a high degree of sensitivity to mechanical influences, a 'fact which 'contributes to safety in firing;' secondly, when coming in contact 'with the-metal sides of projectiles, trotil does not generate sensitive combinations as melinite alight create, From 1906 trotil:"became. widely used. At the moment trotil is the main explosive substance being used in the manufacture of detonators for fuzes and for detonator caps? In the first World .Tar ammoniac - saltpetre explosive substances were in wide use. These were explosive blends of ammonium saltpetre and high explo- sive substances, for instance - trot 11. The period follade.r failed to produce any effective results. L more powerful powder was needed. devoted themselves,to its possibilities, he,idea t.o 'turn. the. powerful high explosive _ -41a, propelling agent proved tempting so that a spirits) and ether (1884),. substances of, gun cotton succession of scientists After 7steadfast experimental.work,a..means,was, found of adapting gun cotton to.a smokeless powder by diluting It in .a blend of alcohol (lit. guncotton ponder, smokeless powder went into productions ' Thus nitro- . glycerine smokeless powder made its appearance. an T.,11. CBIELT'SO1T.!and other Russian scientists did much pre~oarat.ion of smokeless nitro-glycerine. povwders. the research 7 The period con.anencin;with 'the XK th. Century up to the present time the environment surrounding I the focus of the explosion. Evidence accompanying an explosion is a more or less powerful sound. Depending on the chemical substance of the Explosive substance and on the cony .tions of the, detQnati.on the explosive transformations. flow with varying` speeds. The greater the speed of the explosive transformation, the quicker pressure groirs. The speed in the growth of the pressure determines the ' character of The mechan:c.al, function accompanying the explosion. Where the proces of s` the explosion is steady, pressure will ,also grow steadily. In this case the mechanical function of the gases will express itself in the movement of the surrounding environment.-whenever sufficient, pressure has formed xi order to overcome the resistance of tkhe environment, for instance in the motion off' the: "obstacle. the spreading of the gases (ding,. 1 ),. rThen, hove ver the process of the explosion occurs in ,so brief an interval of time thst it may be', considered as being. almost instantaneous (the'chemical trans form,atipn e.t' once embraces the 'whole body of the Explosive charge), pressure w l1 be s'c shaUxp, that the mechanical function of , the gases; will express itself Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT in a very povrerful vibration of the environment surrounding the focus of the explosion, and where an obstacle is in the way.- in its destruction (diag. 2). In military matters the,qualities of Explosive substances are used dependinG.on their components and on which different. kinds of mechanical func- tion the explosion is capable of. In artillery Explosive substances are used as ..a source, of..energy essential for propelling projectiles. (propelling chargz and t'cn detonating them (detonating charges). A epnce.p ion of an Explor1vesubstance as a.source of energy is provided by calculating the force of a propelling charge, i.e. a computation of the amount of energy and time in the course of which this energy becomes trans- formed into mechanical function on a shot. The energy of a propelling charge Diag, 1 1Jiag. 2 gradual formation of gases or an Instantaneous formation of?gases. explosion: gases knock off the lid On an . explosion' gases destroy the of a vessel. nearest objects. is spent on: providing the projectile with muzzle velocity, overcoming. apposition in the bore impeding the motion of the projectile, on expanding and he-atin `the sides of the bore, on blow back (all. recoil - T) etc., part of the energy remains unused when gases issue from the barrel. The amount of energy spent on giving the projectile its muzzle velocity can be found as .the quantity of kinetic energy of a body in motion from formula M V 2 IT 2 SECRE is the amount of energy in kgs; is the mass of the body in motion,. equating is. the speed of the body (projectile) in m/sec. the weight of the body (projectile) in k` In the case of a gun with which (when the rifled part of the barrel has a length of 1.6 m) the muzzle velocity comes to 400 m/sec, and the projectile weighs 40 kgs, we get : 40.4002 2 g 320.000 kgs In order to compute how much energy must be produced by.a charge on a shot it is sufficientto.multiply the quantity found by 31~ , because it is known that in order .o provide the projectile with its muzzle velocity only 3 of.the total amount of the energy of the propelling charge is spent. Consequently, the amount of energy to be produced by the charge must approximately equate 320,000.3 = . 960..000 kgs. !ere one to.disregard the negligible time interval in the course of which gas pressure increases up to the moment when the projectile starts moving, the time of function of the propelling charge will equate the time of the movement of the projectile in the interior of the barrel. Computing this time, vie-will find the time interval in. the course of which the mount of mechanical energy which vie have already found, will have been transformed into mechanical? func- tion. Let us assume that the motion.of the projectile in the bore of the ifi See. param. 15 "Potential of an Explosive Substance," SECRET Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 199.9/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 barrel is of equal acceleration, i.eo the projectile is moving at an average velocity V cp 200 m/sec Dividing the length of the course of the projectile along the bore of the barrel (the length of the rifled section), which in the case of the piece selected as an example, amounts to 1,6 m, by the velocity, we will get the time sought for, namely t,= 1.6 : 200 = 0.008 sec. These two data deter- mine the peculiarity of an Explosive substance as a source of energy - the ability to transform in an insignificantly brief space of time a great amount or energy into mechanical: function,.i.e, the Explosive substance as a?source of energy expresses itself in a very considerable force. In order to obtain an equally great amount of energy (960,000 kgs) in the same space of.time, one would need an engine disposing over a force of 960,000 11,600,000'h.p, 75.0,008 3. CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVE SUBSTANCES ACCORDING TO THEIR COMPONENTS: Explosive substances are usually divided into the following three groups according t o ' their component : A. B. C.. Explosive chemical combinations. Explosive .components:and blends from non-explosive substances. Explosive components and blends from explosive substances. A. P-:losive.Chemical Combinations are characterized by the following factor.,,! (a) by the presence in them of molecules of special atomic grouping, conditioning he insolidity of. the connections within the molecules (lit* inner molecular connections - T); each class of Explosive substances has corresponding to it its own atomic combination which forms the basis for the further classification 'of Explasive substances 9 (b) (c) propensity to inner molecular combustion, resulting in the creation of a great amount of heat from the presence in the molecules of the Explosive substance of the atoms of burning substances and of the hydrogen -atom; by the endothermocity of creation, i.e. by the presence of energy (heat), accumulated (absorbed) by the Explosive substance during its formation frori eleiaents. 1U The rirst factor s' common for all Explosive substances of the group question, the second and third, on the other hand, is not peculiar to all Explosives belonging to the group of explosive chemical combinations. The group of..explosive?chemical combinat:ions:can be broken up into a series of sub-groups of which the following are most generally used in artillery practice: in '1. Nitrates, or compound ethers 'of azide acid. High Explosives of this sub group are obtained by processing alcohols or carbo-hydrates with azide acid. This process is called nitration. t cp = medium, average - T A' fi Ved w',R~e aye 1999/09/08 : C eJ P78-04861 A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999109/08 :. CIA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT The most important representatives of such Explosives are: (a) Nitro-glycerine, or, glycerine-nitrate: From these formulae it can.be the presence of group ON02. Nitrates (apart from t a e n) are ge'neraily used in the preparation, of 2, Nitro compounds obtained as a result of processing nitrogen acid. The most generally used in..practice are: (a) Troti"l, ortr,in..i,trot o1uo1(tol) (b) 1 . 1 e I e, ort rinit r of eno1, or Picric Acid H2 (I\TO2 ) OH 3 (c) Tetril, ortrinitrofesni1-met i 1 n i t r a m i n (To.- ), Or :P b H_ 0. or ( e ) s t i p n a t (sic) of lead, or t r i n i t r o r e z o r t s i n a t All of these express themselves by the presence of group NO2 and are used as independent Explosive substances; in particular trotil is used for the manufacture of explosive charges for a great number of modern artillery projectiles. SECRF ~- Approved For Release 1999/0970": IA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT Fulimlinates, , or . salts of fulminating. ' acid. These explosives axe obtained from the reaction of alcohol and the solution in nitrogen acid of some heavy metals (mercury, silver etc). In practice the most generally used are fulminate of mercury or fulminating. mercury (lit.-.T): H(ONC)2 A characteristic feature of ful notes is the presence in their composition of the very unsteady atomic combination of ONC. Fulminating mercury requires very little action for producing an explosion and is therefore used for initiating the detonation of steadier Explosive substances. ? Azides, or salts ofnytro hydrogen acid. Azide of lead P bN6 s olut ion of az ide of s odic-a ( alt .' nat rium T) on the s olut ion ?`Ofnytro acid of lead. Azides like fulminating mercury are used for initiating detonations of other Explosives. The most important representatives of the Explosives of this group are pounders of saltpetre:- carbon, 'for instance the military powder. 75/ . xrro3 + . 10;o S + 1 B. Ea plosive Co (ui ds from non--sx losive substances losive substances of this group represent a compound of two or more substances not possessing their dvin explosive attributes, nor being chemically linked with each other. They are-formed of sub- stances which. are fairly rich in oxygen,, and from the substances of .. fuel,, and therefore they burn through the oxygen of 'the former. Mining Powder: 70?/0 KNOZ + 12% S + 18% C; (a) compounds of oxygen with combustible gases,. p.etrol..vapours,, spirits, pulverized crude oil, flour,, coal dust soot etc, Some:-of such compounds are used for interior combustion motors. To this'group,of Explosives may.also be related: C, ExplosiveSubstances and Cor1ounds of Explosive Substances: The Explosive attributes of this group express themselves by the features of those . Explosives which belong to their number; Explosives of this group. are very ..many, but the following have the greatest practical application: 1. ...Smokeless powders made ,from a compound of two kinds of gun cotton (alt, pyroxiline - T) (pyroxyline,pc rder) or..from a compound of pyroxyline and'nitro=-glycerine (nitro-glycerine powder). 2. Anmoniuri - Saltpetre compounds whose main component is ammoniac - saltpetre; this has explosive attributes ofits own, though ,..the,se are not strongly expressed. D,arnites, or, nitro-glycerine explosives are' compounds of nitro- glycerine with various 'substances which are as a. rule, explo- sives (for instance fulminating gelatin contains: 88 - 93% of nitro-glycerine and 7-112rf of colloid cotton). 16 is the word for fire-damp T Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CtAGFOP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09ffA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 -i2 aCPYRGHT The majority of explosives are products of nitration. Nitration consists of the reaction on the organic combination of nitrogen acid (HNO3) in the presence Of sulphuric acid (H2 S0:); depending on the chemical structure of the mole- cules of the organic cominationn, nitration pursues the following course: i R - H iI:J HO NO2 H2 0 + R. NO2 H2 0 + RONO 2 s R stands for the organic root: % In the brat case occurs a combination of nitrates whose intrate group o. is :directly connected wit.h.carbo-hydrate; in the second case occur cornpour,d ethers of .nitrogen acid whose gr, hydrate by means of the oxygen , atom. In both cases water (H0) forms. in the process of nitration. As this weakens 'the reaction of the'-nitration it is essential to eliminate its influence and in order to achieve this, nitration should be effected in the presence of some substances which absorb water effectively. A substance of this kind is sulphuric acid (H2 SOL,): it not only absorbs water but at the, same time,. strengthens the.nitrationa.ry capacities,of HNO , hence the significance of' sulphuric acid is very considerable indeed in tie entire ..experiments shops that in some cases no nitration takes place without sulphuric. acid, Thus nitration is the action on organic combination of the compound between nitrogen and sulphuric acids. 12 The composition of the nitrate compound is determined by the nature of the materials of which an explosive substance is prepared and by the required degree. of nitration.. Nitrogen and sulphuric acids may in the , process ., of nitration be used not in a compound but in succession, one after the other. In such circum- stances only sulphuric. acid reacts . on the organic combination (this process is cahied`sulphuriaati.on) and then the sulphuric products are processed with nitrogen acid. 13 Nitrogen and sulphuric acids, used for nitration, must be very strong and as pure as possible. Admixtures in. nitratic.acidsenter-ing Explosive substances lmer, their chvnical stability. As cots of Explosive Transformations it has already been said thaa.the' reactions of explosive transformations occur with varying speeds and that the magnitude of these speeds determines the nature of the. mechanical function of gases which are, found among the products of an. explosive .transformation, ,, That is Why one must place the velocity. with. which the reaction. of an explosive transformation spreads over the body (lit,` mass - T) of an explosive substance., at the foundation of the determination of an explosive transformation: Depending on this velocity one disti.n wishes between the following three aspects of explosive transformations:. rapid,-combus-t'ion and detonation. , the explosion proper Rated Comlii soon; of an Explosive substance is the process of explosive transfornation i'thich occurs with a velocity not exceeding several metres per second, and is considerably influenced by exterior. conditions. Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 ' Approved For Release 1999109108 : C1 f 78-04861A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT -13- velocity noasured in hundreds or even in thousands of metres per second and depending to a lesser degree on extraneous factors. The feature of the function of gases expresses itself in a sharp increase in pressure at the focus of the explosion, in the shock of gases against the surrounding milieu, the increase of temperature of the surrounding object to white heat and in their breaking u.p, but at comparatively short distances from the focus of the explosion. Example - explosion of a charge of black powder in a "shpur"VE (sic.; - T.) with: a plug. Detonation is'aprocess spreading over a substance with the maximum velocity possible for the given conditions, ~,.eneray measured in.thousands of l ll ' Thexlosi_~onroer is the process occurring with the alternative of barrel. In this case the operation of gases expresses itself in the rapid accretion of pressure in the bore as the result of which the gases fulfil their function of propelling the projectile. propelling (alt..powder - T) charge of smokeless powder in the bore of a gun these of functions in shifting or casting aside the least opposition. A typical example of rapid combustion is 'to 'be found in the combustion of a this, process 'takes -place far more, ener~eticaily and'is accompanied by a sharp sou.d The character of the function in tie. latter case expresses itself 1.n- the more or.'less rapid growth of the pressure -of gases and the execution by inan enclosed space,` hawever, for instance .the powder chamber of apiece, panied by any considerable effect and is sometimes called deflagration. Where this process occurs in the open. air; ;.it is not ae.nerally accorn- . per second, The. i lagnitude of this velocity is constant for the 14.. metres circumstances in''question and for the given explosive. The character of the ?function,ona detonation shows itself in a very. sharp jump in the pressure and in.shockproduced by the gases accompanied by the maximum destructive of feat ; al7;owed by "the given. conditions. For instance, the velocity of a .: detonation of pyroxyThine (all gun cotton - T) reaches up to 6,800 m./sec. and :of nitro-glycerine up to 8,200 m/sec. is widely used. in_blasting, for the destruction of railways, bridges etc. "I Ai "T46 phenomenon of detonation was first observed during experiments with nitro--glycerine. It was found that when initiating nitro-glycerine with a capsule of fulminating mercury the destructive effect is considerably stronger than where the explosion is effected by a jet of fire, The practical signi- ficance of this discovery was so obvious that it lead to the research into the detonations of all, explosive substances. Research into the processes of the detonations of various explosives showed that the amount of heat produced on a detonation and the quantity of gases formed.are nearly identical with those aroused by an ordinary explosion. Hence the destructive effect accompanying detonation can only be explained by the unusually great velocities in the development of a detonation. As the result of such velocities there. occurs an exceptionally rapid and almost instantaneous, shock from gases, The force of this shook from the gases or a detonation is explained by the fact that in the 'irst,place the gases occupy in the early stage. a volume of the charge up to the, moment of explosion and in the second place - by the fact that the heat' generated by the reaction, not being able to'escape'either by radiation ors by'dirept transmission, entirely spends itself on heating the ,as3s. These two facts then determine the highest degree of the manifestation of the resilience (alt. vibration - T) of the, gases and 'their maximum destructive effect on detonation. As the result of the violent blow- froii the' gases on detonation, a destructive effect occurs also in.a case where the charge is placed not inside of the object t"o be blown up but outside it. This attribute of detonation SHPUR - an opening driven into = a -"rock for blasting. Approved For Release 1999/09/08.: CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09/18 jA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT -14?- Th.._eo of Detonation. The process of arousing and developing a detonation has not yet been fully established and there is still much in it which is not clear. Of all the . theories put forward on detonation, the most complete explanation cif this phenomenon is offered by the theories of the percussion i~rave.and the explosive wave; According to theory of the percu- ssion tiave-,detonation is aroused by a mechanical percussion inflicted by some object '(for instance by a striker) or by molecules of as evhich a g re rich in energy, and dispose over.rapid- movement formin on th x l i f , g; e e p os on o ;:the -detonator. Provided the force of the percussion is suffici."xit. there a: d aecurs isintegration of the molecules of that part of the charge of the explosive which has;~receivod the blow. Apart from the purely` mechanical reaction on the Explosive charge, the charge becomes heated as'the result of ..a part of the ram hanica1 energy passing to thermal energy (alt. being trans- formed i:nto,...or becoming thermal energy - T) a fact which stre th h , ng ens t e .explosive transformation of the surface layer of the explosive charge. at the focus of the percussion, The combination of these two' factors gives; rise to the percussion wave which begins spreading.. with is~mense velocity from one layer to another over the entire mass of explosive charge until it entirely ,transformed into the final products of the explosion. The theory'.of the explosive wave explains the phenomenon as follows. As the result of the percussion on the explosive substance located at the. very place. of the percussion, the layer of this substance contracts; the.mechanical energy of the percussion thereon turns into..hoat energy and the compressed layer becomes heated. As. the result of this heating the,com- pressed layer explodes. This explosion knocks against,-the neighbouring layer which becomes heated in -its turn and 'then blows up.;' This explosion deals a blow on the.,next.:layer etc. (percussion.,heating - explosion); An explosive wave spreads::wittlh tremendous speed, vrhich is by no means less than that of a percussion wave. The magnitudes of these:'speeds can be judged from the speed with which a percussion spreads in, let .us say;.a steel tube: this speed equates 5,,100,n/sec and .istvery close in its extent' to the velocity of a detonation,. found in expdriments., Percussion waves, spreading over a medium incapable of explosion, constantly grow weaker losing their initial energy, In contrast to these purely physical waves, percussion waves passing over the mass of an explosive charge do not become extinguished as their energ is co t tl y ns an y being main- tained by the explosive reaction of the layer of the explosive which the wave envelops.. Thus: the velocity of.the detonation depends upon the velocity of the pecussa on wave aroused by the initial irlpulse `and on the speed of the explosive reaction. The theory of the percussion wave is -)roved by the f ollowing. experimental data: s s is equivalent to percussion. The velocities of a detonation grog With the increase of-the force of percussion. of the initial iipulseas in this case the quantity of energy increases and thence alsothe'velocity of the 'percussion wave, ve detonation may be'aroused b heating,, -.v su stances whose y g, This can be explained by the fact that all these explosive substances are very sensitive and endother{:;ical in their origin, i.e. they include in themselves, even before the explosions a great amount of accumulated thermal energy, .which as the result of heating becomes freed in a'very brief space of time which in it elf The initial thermal impulse does not as a rule cause a detonation` of an explosive. charge as -the mechanical percussion is absent during the heating process and no percussion grave arises. Exception to. this are very few partly initiating ex losi ' b SE0 T Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 SECRET ,CPYRGHT coripact medium aids the' transmission beams of the percussion wave. 16 lith the increase of the density of the explosive substance, the velocity of the detonation also'increases,.as the denser and more The detonation velocities of various explosive substances, all other conditions being equal (initial impulses, physical conditions, casing etc), are not identical,. as the velocity of a detonation depends upon the speed of the explosive reaction of the layer enveloped by the percussion wave and this velocity is determined by the. chemical nature ofthe explosive substance. Methods of Determining Detonation Velocities. detonator will subsequently cause the , detonation of the ends of the cord.. As end 'a' of the cord will detonate a little earlier than end the two percussion waves spreading from The follo ring method is the simplest : The explosive to be tested is placed in a small cylindrical tube A (diag 3). The ends. of detonating cord R` have been inserted into this -tube at' two points 'a' and, The detonating cord is loop shaped and with its central part is packed (alt. laid-T).and fastened on a thin leaden .or tin disk B; the centre of the cord is .carefully marked on the disk by line K. The detonation of the explosive to be tested, simulated by the -15- the terminals of , the. pr.ima- cord t awards" its centre will rip t .,r_zeet at point K but at. some point which will be the further from point K the later terminal 6 of the primacord was detonated in comparison with terminal i.e..the less was the speed of the detonation of the explosive substance to be tested. Point of encounter K1 is obtained with sufficient accuracy on the disk. Dial;. 3 Method of determining the velocity -of a detonation By measuring the distance I between points a and. 6 and KK1, between points K and K1 and knoywing the velocity of the detonation of the detona- ting cord if J. one can compute the velocity of the. detonation of the explosive to be tested by the following: 2KK1 - is the velocity of the detonation of the explosive; In the time interval t the waves will pass along the primacord along various paths. The path 'travelled from point 'a' will be greater than the length of half the cord by KK1, while the path travelled from point 4 will be less than this length by the same dimension, Hence the difference between the paths equates 2 KK1, while time t = 2 KK1 The two dimens _i.ons, ? separat ely (alt. each or one by.. one - T) equal to the third dimension, are equal to each other, hence, 2KK1 SECRET Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09/IA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 liCPYRGHT ,17 Exame : 7,200 8308 m/sec. Thus, this., method is based on a cor_ipar:Lson of the velocities of the detona- tion of a primacord and of the explosive to be tested. The velocity of the detonation of the primacord, .h.ovever, may also be -found by experiment. cord consists of the follo~ring measures. The method of determining the velocity of the detonation of the prima.- a. g by 8--10 r.1.. Some ends of these ;sec _~ons are fastened ,to the common detonating cap A (diag. z) while the others are inserted to an identical depth into the narrow open apertures of the, steel pig -. (alt.block-) Drum C turns over these apertures with a constaxt speed. Qnei,take.s two ,sec' ions of the prima-cord? differing in their len th 17 an a: sisultaneous initiation of the sections of the prima-cord the percussion wave travelling along the shorter section will reach the turning drum earlier and will-make an earlier impression (alte mark T) on its surface than the percussion wave spreading along the longer section. Knowing difference 7 of the lengths of the s ections of the prima-cord, distance;.. according to the length of the circumference between the marks on ,the surface.of the drum, the length of its circumference and the speed at which it turns fE ;, Lek /oek 7-s one can find the velocity of the detona- .tiox. of the. -prime cordlFfrom foroula 1n fact, the:-linear velocity of the .. movement. of the point on the surface of the. revolving drum. ,equates qr {4 r_i/sec, consequently,, path 4 along "thy ., circumference- of the drum be traversed in time The speed of detonation of the pr:Lia-cord Substituting to 'thu.' equation the quantity found, we ;et fit. _ n3, A Possibly recs/sec.- T Diag. 4 Determining the velocity of detonation of a prima-cord Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 -16- The velocity of the detonating cord equates 7,200 m/sec. and dista ce t-between its terminals 0,3 m; in determining ..the velocity of the detonation of intro-glycerine, the distance ,between points K and K1 has come to equate 0,13 m. Thus the sought for velocity Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 SECRET CPYRGHT Exar?iple: The difference in the lengths of the prima-cord is 8 metres, the length of the diameter of the drum is 0.6 metres and the velocity of its revolution is 300 revs/sec. As the result (one word illegible-T) the distance between the marks has come to 0?2 metres. Thus the velocity of the detonation of the prima-cord will be O;,0*6". 8 7200 m/sec. 0.2 More accurate methods` of determining detonation speeds are based on the use of. special instruments - chronographs marking the time in which the detona- `ti,on?spreadsalong the length of the charge of the explosive substance under test, 18 Table 1 shows the velocities of detonation of'. the more widely used explosives: T De of Exnlasive Gun Cotton (pyroxyl ine) - Nitro-glycerine Fulndnat i_ng Mercury Azide of Lead Veloca.ty of Detonation in m/sec. 5200. 8200 7480 6990 5100. 7740 4500 6300 Influenced Detonation. The detonation of a, so called, active explosive charge can cause a detonation in another, a Lassive, charge, which is at some distance from the first. Such a detonation is knon,-m as influenced detonation. An influenced detonation has no special practical value as a means. of initiating an explosive, but in order to eliminate danger 'in the manufacture, storing and use of an explosive, this. phenomenon 1:iust be. reckoned with, for instance when planning the distance at which workshops and stores for explosives should be from each other, 18 Causes of influenced detonation are: (a) action of the percussion wave from the active charge which continues spreading, after the explosion of the latter, over.the.surrounling milieu; y :force of the explosion of this charge. The main cause is the action of the percussion wave, as the two other causes can bring about detonation or destruction only over a short space from the site of the explosion of the active charge. Detonation through influence is considered to reach its maximum: effect i.e. to be at its extreme, at a distance where`' the explosion of the active charge is still capable Of causing the detonation of a passive char e, The extent o f the _iax i_zuri'distance depends: direct percussion of gases from the active charge; percussion from the splinters of the"envelope (alt. container-T) of the active charge or of any other objects thrust aside b the Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09~`IA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT -18- (a) on the power and density of the active char e (with their increase, the distance of transmission also increases, on the qualities of the passive charge; on the qualities of the medium separating the charges. (d) on the nature of the containers housing the charges,, The dependence of the extent of the limiting (alt* extreme, Maximum - T) R =._R1 the weight of the active charge in kg; the coefficient depending upon the conditions. enumerated above. distance on the :reight of the active charge is fairly well expressed by the following empirical fortlula: The value of coefficient z fluctuates-Within the limits of 0.05 - 0,54, For instance 'for an active nelinite -charge with a density of 1J.25 and for a passive charge of trotil with a density of 1,0, coefficient .7.. = 0,3. At distances exceeding maximum distances., percussion waves no longer cause the detonation of passive charges, but may all the same, bring about mech- anical destruction. This raises the very dir.T)ortant problem of the so called safe ranges, i.e. distances at which a distinction caused byan explosion has no real significance. Safe ranges are'computed by formula: R = the extent Of the safe range in metres; the weight of the charge in kgs; R1 = the, coefficient. Type of Explosive Nitro-glycerinesand of. the following. values of (?) For Uncricased 16 (?~ For Encased 26 charges charges Dynamit es 16, 6 7, Reaction of. x losive Transf ornat ions As''the result of the reaction of the explosive transformation, as in fact in any `chemical reaction, nea chemical combinations are formed as the pro- ducts of this,reaction, or as products of the. explosion. Russian: neobvalovannyi - obvalovannyi zaryad T SECRET Approved For Release 1.999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09/08: CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 SECRET 'CPYRGHT 119 In their physical composition the products of explosion may be hard, liquid or gaseous. In their chemical composition these products of explosion can vary greatly, and their chemical composition is; principally determined by the chemical nature of the explosive substance in question. Moreover, v,yri ous_,factors may considerably influence the composition of the products" of an explosion,'asy for.instance, the method of arousing the reaction, temperature and pressure in which the reaction occurs, the degree of houoAeneousness, of an ,explosive in its chemical composition etc. The quantitative' andqualita it composition of the products of an explosion are deterrz ned"b' y the followin methods. Metkiod of theoretical calculations, the essence of which is based on the assumption that on an explosion its products are formed according to the laws of chemical equilibrium and conformity in a strictly determined sequence. Thus, for instance, the elementary method for computing the composition of the 20 roaucts of the explosion of an explosive with a positive oxygen balance (more than sufficient for the full combustion of carbon). is based on the assumption that the whole carbon and hydrogen burn up completely at the expense of the oxygen. It is assumed that the oxygen which remains unused as well as the nitrogen is to be found in a free state among the composition of the products of the explosion. The method of Chemical Analysis. consists of taking samples from the gases which have formed in the explosion and by processing them with different kinds of absorbants, A decrease in the volume of the gas compound provides in this.,experiment the approximate contents of the gaseous products in question. 20 For instance, in order to determine the presence of a relative quantity of C02 one use. a solution of'corrosive potash in water (1.2). It is known that one cubic centimetre of this solution absorbs,. .0 cm3 of 002. Knowing the composition of the products of the explosion one can draw up an equation of the rcacti.on. of the-explosive transformation of the explosive Study of 'hese`equations is most important a s it allows one to compute such basic features of explosive transformation as the heat of an explosion radiated on an explosion, volume of gases and their temperature and from these - the energy and.foree of the explosion. .In the chemical sense all rQactions from explosive transformations can be related to the following two basic aspects, (1) to the reaction-from the disintegration of the molecules of the explosive substance; to reaction from combustion or the combination of burning substances oapable of. supporting the combustion; -.ma.nly - the combination ~.' of, oxygen as the chief acidifyinf,- agents with carbon, hydrogen, Reactions of the first kind arc very simple but are met with fairly rarely. As ansxample of areac'tion of this kind may be taken the reaction from the disintegration of azide of lead on an explosion- Pt N6 = P 9 + 3N2 Reactions of the second kind are far more complex but more interesting inasmuch as they are shared by nearly all explosive substance in use. As an example of a reaction of the second kind may be taken the reaction from ' C3 H (ONO 2)3 SECRET Approved For Release 1999/09/08 ; 'CI,A-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9' Approved For Release I 999/09I lA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT -2G-- Reactions of combustion, depending on the oxygen contents, are classified into: (i ) already mentioned. ...the explosive substance into carbonic acid and of hydrogen into water, as"'an example of a reaction of this kind may be taken the reaction (alt, acidification - T) of the hydrogen contents of the molecules of reactions of explosive substances with a5ositive oxygen balance, i.e. with oxygen-contents in a quantity sufficient for full oxidation the products of full oxidation; of the explosive transformation of intro-glycerine. containing only oxidized products of explosion, ~in such a quantity which is not sufficient for obtaining fully 2)'reactions with a negative oxygen balance, i.e.-with oxygen contents explosive; transformation of trotil'where carbon in its'amorphic full; formation of .,for instance, the reaction. of the found side by side with the gaseous products of the 'explosion. Reactions of explosive substances having a p ositiveoxygen balance are usizally known r asas reactions of full combustion and those with a negative `b a lance tions of incorhp etc combustion. Full and partial, alt. incomplete T) combustion must be differentiated .from "the negative conceptions of complete and incomplete explosion. A complete explosion is one in which the entire'body (lit. mass.-,,T) of?Large is 7transformed into the final products of the, explosion. In an incomplete explosion only part of the explosive'charge is affected, while the rest remains unaffectc.dby' the explosion and does not participate in the function` of - the explosion. Causes of an incomplete explosion are the insufficient force- of the initial impul.s, humidity of the charge etc. Evide4ce of 'incomplete explosion is the presence of dense smoke accompanying the e7 explosion of even those explosives which usually. occur without any smoke smoke in such cases is caused by the:ptilverization of the` unexploded of the explosive charge), or a change : in the colouring of the smoke; thus for, instance trotil is accompanied on explosion by dense black smoke; the colour of smoke is in this case deterMined by the presence among the products of the explosion of-carbon in the amorphic state (soot; see the equation for the reaction of the explosive transformation.of `trotil. already mentioned); while an incomplete explosion of trotil,is accompanied by'smoke which is partly black and partly yellowish brown in colour from the pulverized unexploded -part of the trotil.q SEC T. Approved For Release 1999/09/08 CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 ,!Among reactions with'a negative oxygen, balance are usually counted (a) reactions of explosives containing oxygen suffic.ic.nt_for full gasification flit. format ion of nas - T) for instancei the (ONO2 )11 15 CO + 9 C02 . + 9 H, : (b) reactions of explosives containing insufficient oxygen for a Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : C RQP78-04861A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT g u e v 21 the equation,.on explosive transformation or it can be measured by a gasometer. 22 Computation by the reaction equation. According to AVOGADRO's law 1 grGmmolecule of gas at. 00 and a pressure of 760 mm occupies a volume of 22, it is + litres, Therefore , in pre er to determine the volume of gases necessary to calculate..the'amount of gas grammolecules, multiply it by 22,4. and divided by the weight of the grwrmolecules of the explosive substance in kilograms, in order to bring the volume of gases to 1 kg of the explosive substance. ExamMle. Reaction of the explosive transformation of pyroxyline (alt. gun cotton - T).(consisting of eleven azotes) 5 00 + 9 C02 H H + 5 , 5 N According to this computation the, quantity.. grammolecules (will be ?-T), Then from I grammolecule of an explosive the volume of gases (will be ?-T) 22,+ t+4- = 985,6 litres, and of 1 kg of pyroxyline Exlosion aseous.products of an explosion can be computed by M11 ol me of the N=15+9+9. 5,5+.5,5.._ ,44 985,6 1,14-3 .862,3 litres as 1 grammolecule of pyroxyline weighs 1,143 kg (see'table'3) In this calculation it ha been assumed that water is in` s. vaporous condition as the result of the high temperature of the explosion. :Should the water be in a liquid state,, the quantity of gas molecules 9 will decrease down to 35, andA to 685, litres, r- + 9 a S f 11 22 E'xarnple 2. Smoky . powder containing 78,9 % KNO3 i~ a9 $ 2 reacts approximately as follows in an explosive transformation: 1,Q KNO3 + 4 S + 12:Q = 8 CO2 Volume of the Gaseous Products of an N 0+.,K2.. CO + 2 K2 SO4? + 2 K2 S 224?., 16 N 8 + 3 + 5 16 and for = 1, 283 Measuring in a Gasometer. The explosive special 'thick walled steel container theft to 279,3 litres. be weighed is placed in a (diag 5 )= known as a "calorimetric (sic - T) or manbtnetriO (sic T) shell" (manometer = pressure gauge T) 9 ` arid? is then exploded electrically. Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : CIA-RDP78-04861A000100030001-9 Approved For Release 1999/09/08 : 'CIA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT Chemical M>ioleculat Heat Composition Ieigh't in Nal grams, After the explosion the gases are allowed to cool. They are then let into the gasometer through tube T. The gasometer consists of tiro "bel :". (.cylinders ? - T) one movable IT and one ri: id H. the, movable 'oylinder` (lit, bell - T) is immersed in a'bath A filled with mercury; the interior of the rigid cylinder is filled with water. ,The gases entering below the 22 23 Diag 5. Ii'Iercury`Ga.someter. TABLE, Fran the amount of the water thus ousted, one determines the quantity of the gaseous products of the explosive transf Qrmation.: Name of, Substance Acetyline Methane ............ Vaporous'-Water Liquid Water ... , ... . .., SulphurHydrogen Cyanoger *.......~.., Cyanic Hydrogen Ammonia ,..?...-r.r.*e Oxide of Carbon , .. , , Carbonic Acid gas Nitro-glycerine .. . Fulminating Mercury .. , .. . Pyroxyline Smoky Powder. ... movable -cylinder from "Shell" b through tube P, lift the cylinder (lit, 'bells - T) and thus oust the water from the rigid cylinder (lit. bell - T) 16 44 227 hg 284. C202909(0N02 )11114.3 Mechanical Compound 1283 of Formation in mol +18,4 - 58,1 - 30,5 10,5 +..4,8 - 73. .9 + 57. .7 + 67o5 + 26,4 + 94,5 + 82,7 - 65,4. + 639 One can take gas samples from the gasometer through the tube for their chemical analysis. This is done by means of special dropping tubes; as has already been explained. Table 4. sets out volumes of gases which form on the explosion of some explosives. SECRET CH4.. SEC1SL T Approved For Release 1999/09/08-`TTA-RDP78-04861 A000100030001-9 Head of Formation and i'Iolcoular '.Teipyhts - Approved For Release 1999%09/0$ : CW P78-04861A000100030001-9 CPYRGHT -23- TABLE 1+ Volumes ofGases .farmon 'the Explosion of Some Exl.osivc Substances Name of Explosive ~,ulminatin TALercury .....r..e...........r..ed...?e?.....< Azide of Lead .,.ee re.~res?reroe eaeees eaw e+ae erew w.ewe>e e..e ~ ~'ITf~eeErEfi1 ~ . Pyroxyline tong, 11 azotes ..e e.e er+e>.e>e...... a...>. e?? Nitro-glycerine .erect'ea>seeress..er.>>ere>.~aeerererrewee Tetril .sees`e??ee.e ee sect ?ee ee?7 ee ro.e>eas e. ~eeo e~leete>oe Smokeless Pyroxyline .,?e.?.e.a..ee.eee.>.....>