Feasibility of an All-Secondary-Explosive, Low-Voltage, Electric Detonator

Abstract : The feasibility of an all-secondary explosive, low-voltage, electric detonator was demonstrated. The detonator consists essentially of a donor explosive combustion chamber, an impactor disc, an air-gap and an acceptor explosive column which provides for proper coupling of the following three critical processes: hot-wire initiation of a self-sustaining deflagration in a 'donor' secondary explosive, release and acceleration of a metal impactor disc by confined product gases of the deflagration in the donor explosive, and shock initiation-to-detonation of an acceptor secondary explosive upon impact by the accelerated impactor disc. The design parameters controlling the critical processes are discussed. Unique safe and arm mechanisms, inherent in the basic detonator concept, were also investigated, and are described.