For non-ideal explosives a wide range of behavior is observed in experiments dealing with differing sizes and geometries. A predictive detonation model must be able to reproduce many phenomena including such effects as: variations in the detonation velocity with the radial diameter of rate sticks; slowing of the detonation velocity around gentle corners; production of dead zones for abrupt corner turning; failure of small diameter rate sticks; and failure for rate sticks with sufficiently wide cracks. Most models have been developed to explain one effect at a time. Often, changes are made in the input parameters used to fit each succeeding case with the implication that this is sufficient for the model to be valid over differing regimes. We feel that it is important to develop a model that is able to fit experiments with one set of parameters. To address this we are creating a new generation of models that are able to produce better fitting to individual data sets than prior models and to simultaneous fit distinctly different regimes of experiments. Presented here are details of our new Piece Wise Linear reactive flow model applied to LX-17.

Hydrogen uranyl phosphate (HUP), a solid proton electrolyte, getters tritium gas and water vapor from air by DC electrical action. We have reduced the formation of residual tritiated water to less than 2%, and demonstrated that HUP can clean a 5.5 m3 working glove box. Data are presented to illustrate the parameters of the gettering and a model is derived. Two other tritium gettering electrolytes have been discovered. 9 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.

We have performed experiments investigating detonation corner turning over a range of high-explosives including LX-17, Composition B, LX-04 and Tritonal. The primary diagnostic utilized here was a new high-resolution x-ray system that was capable of recording a time sequence of the detonation process as it negotiated the corner of interest and propagated. For LX-17 our data detail the formation of a significant dead-zone. Although the detonation eventually turned the corner in LX-17, the dead zone persisted to late times and evidence exists that it never was consumed by either detonation or fast combustion processes. In LX-17 the detonations ability to corner-turn increases as the density is reduced. Furthermore, lowering the density decreases the size of the dead-zone and alters its shape. The other high-explosives investigated were able to turn the corner immediately with no indication of any dead-zone formation.

The JWL is a standard equation of state used worldwide to describe the pressure-volume-energy behavior of a detonating explosive. Even so, not many people are very good at working with it. So I list all the various equations that describe how it works, then give one way that the solution can be obtained in an iterative manner. I have collaborated with Sedat Esen for several years. I am indebted to him for supplying almost all of our collection of dynamite data. He now works with ammonium nitrate/fuel oil, which is another area of interest to us.

Conclusions are: (1) Early calibrations of the Piece Wise Linear reactive flow model have shown that it allows for very accurate agreement with data for a broad range of detonation wave strengths. (2) The ability to vary the rate at specific pressures has shown that corner turning involves competition between the strong wave that travels roughly in a straight line and growth at low pressure of a new wave that turns corners sharply. (3) The inclusion of a low pressure de-sensitization rate is essential to preserving the dead zone at large times as is observed.