The Los Alamos detonating pellet test (DPT): PBX 9501 evaluation tests

Abstract

High explosive (HE) Velocity of Detonation (VOD) measurements are usually conducted using rate-stick-type tests. This method is highly accurate if carefully implemented, but is relatively costly and may require kilograms or more of HE depending on its sensitivity. We present a novel technique for inferring VOD using a single HE pellet, which for Conventional High Explosives (CHEs) can use 10 gm of HE or even less. This attribute makes the Detonating Pellet Test (DPT) ideal for the preliminary performance characterization of newly synthesized HE materials. On the other end of the size spectrum, the DPT can be scaled to very large dimensions so as to minimize the HE load necessary to characterize highly insensitive HEs such as ANFO. The DPT exploits the fact that the detonation emerging from the pellet face can be made highly spherical over some central region. Spherical detonation breakout on the Sample Pellet (SP) face is described by a simple analytic equation, which depends on the VOD and the Center Of Initiation (COI). The latter is determined by separate characterization of the detonator, with a wave refraction correction at the detonator/SP interface. The SP VOD is then determined by fitting the ideal breakout equation, with specified detonator COI, to detonation breakout data obtained via streak camera. We develop the DPT method and appraise it using sample PBX 9501 data in particular, while discussing its benefits and limitations in general.