R. Meyer J. Köhler A. Homburg Explosives

Fuel
Friction sensitivity of explosive materials
(Sensitiveness to explosive materials)
The figure reported is the smallest load of the peg which causes
deflagration, crackling or explosion of the test sample at least once in
six consecutive trials. The quantity of the test sample is 10 mm3 .
Fuel
Brennstoff; combustible
Most explosives and pyrotechnical compositions are prepared by a
mixture of W Oxidizers and fuels. Fuel means any substance capable
of reacting with oxygen and oxgen carriers (oxidizers) with the evolution
of heat. Hence, the concept of fuel here has a wider significance
than that of fuel in everyday language; thus, for instance, ammonium
chloride in ion-exchanged W Permitted Explosives can act as a fuel.
Fuel Air Explosives
142
FAE; explosifs combustible-air; Brennstoff-Luft Sprengstoffe, Druckwellensprengstoffe
At the beginning of the seventies, the first useable FAE were developed
at the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Centre Weapons Division
NAWCWPNS, California. They are considered as the strongest nonnuclear
chemical explosives. Primarily ethylene oxide (EO) or propylene
oxide (PO) serve as fuels. These substances are atomised by
explosive charges and ignited after mixing up with air. After intramoleculare
decomposition the fuel reacts with atmospheric oxygen
and starts a detonation with velocities about 2000 m/s. Peak pressure
under the detonating cloud reaches up to 30 bar. The effectiveness of
the blast wave exceeds TNT more than five times calculated for
equivalent masses.
As a result from the rapid oxidation of surrounding oxygen a very
strong suction phase is generated which is expressed by the term
“vacuum bomb”. EO and PO are toxic and carcinogenic which has led
to the development of innocuous FAE in the last fifteen years (see also
W thermobaric explosives).
For optimizing pressure wave propagation FAE are ignited similar to
nuclear-weapons in a defined distance above ground zero. So they
often produce an atomic-mushroom-like smoke signature and blast
characteristics making them look like “mini Nukes”.
Fields of deployment for FAE are the rapid removal of AP (antipersonal)
mines and the production of highly effective blast waves.
Being exposed to these long enduring pressure and suction phases