Standoff Test to Determine the Ignitability of Pyrotechnics and the Ignition Effectiveness of Pyrotechnic Igniters

摘要

A standoff penalty test has been developed to examine the ignitability of pyrotechnic compositions and the ignition effectiveness of igniters. The test utilizes an air gap between a donor and an acceptor to determine the standoff distance, over which the igniter energy is transferred, to cause 50% probability of ignition of the acceptor. Using a fixed donor igniter, the ignitability of a wide range of pyrotechnic compositions has been determined. Using a fixed pyrotechnic acceptor, the ignition effectiveness of a gassy and a gasless percussion primer are compared. The technique has also been used to examine the effect of the standoff tube diameter, mass of the sample and the angular orientation of the standoff tube. (Author)