SUM 2 - Explosives and Propellants Flashcards
What is the purpose of using smoke?
- Signalling smoke
- Tactical screening
Coloured smoke is used during daylight for
signalling purposes, what are the five
colours?
- Red
- Green
- Blue/Violet
- Yellow
- Orange
List three main types of EO which has a filling
of WP as a screening smoke?
- Grenades
- Mortar bombs
- Artillery Projectiles
The simplest form of pyrotechnic smoke is
produced by burning WP in air to form
phosphorus pentoxide? True or False
- True
The military service have two main
requirements for two distinct types of smoke
producing munitions, what are they?
- Screening smoke
- Signalling smoke
The main two types of Smoke
Compositions are:
- Zinc powder and zinc oxide with carbon
tetrachloride absorbed on kieselguhr or
magnesium carbonate. - Zinc oxide, zinc powder and hexachlorethane.
2 types of screening smoke
- Tactical Smoke
- Defensive Smoke
What is the role of Illuminating Compositions?
- To provide a steady source of light to
illuminate targets for visual or photographic
reconnaissance purposes. - To provide coloured signals which are
identifiable against difficult backgrounds at
considerable distances. - To provide fillings suitable for use as tracers in
SAA and other direct fire ammunition.
What are the design requirements for Illuminating
Compositions?
- It must burn for the required time.
- Must have the appropriate Luminosity.
- Withstand firing forces ie. Tracer.
What are the two purposes of dark ignition ?
-To avoid observation by the enemy of the exact
location of the weapon.
- To avoid dazzling the gun layers at night when
fired from multiple or automatic weapons.
What is the Role of the Signal Composition?
To transmit concise messages through the
atmosphere over considerable distances
What are the two types of Signal Composition?
- Those which produce a light of distinctive
colour. - Those which produce coloured smoke.
What are the 4 design requirements for the Tracer
Composition?
- Luminosity.
- Strength.
- Consistency of performance.
- Ease of ignition.
Define the term igniter compositions?
Mainly used for propellant or pyrotechnic
systems. They produce hot flames, usually
accompanied by sparks and hot gasses, for
relatively short times.
Define the term ‘Incendiary Composition’.
Incendiary Compositions produce hot flames
and a large evolution of heat, together with
molten iron when thermite type mixtures are
used.
Delay compositions are used for what
purpose?
To produce a time interval between two
igniting or explosive events.
What are the two distinct groups incendiary
materials fall into?
- Metals and alloys
- Combustible fluids
What two metals are most useful as
incendiary agents?
- Aluminium
- Magnesium
What natures of EO may contain incendiary
compositions?
- Grenades
- Cannon
- SAA
- Aircraft bombs
- Pre set charges
Compositions of gun cotton
-NC
-Nitric acid
-cotton fibers
Pyrotechnic effects additives used
Characteristics of priming compositions
Examples of high and low explosive and compositions include % ?
Additives used in high explosives
Decrease sensitivity
Increase maldobility
increase sensitivity
improve stability
increase blast effect
Ingredients used in cap primer compositions
-Lead Styphnate
-Potassium chlorinate
-Powdered glass
-Potassium chlorate
-Barium nitrate
Types of service propellants
Additives used with propellants
- stabilisers
- plasticisers
- coolants
- surface moderants
- surface lubricants
- flash inhibitors
- de- coppering agents
- anti-wear additives
propellent shapes
-cord
-tube
-cogged
-slotted tube
-ribbon
-milti tubular
-cruciform
-drill tube
What does ASA (F2 detonator) composition consists of?
- Lead Azide - 68%
- Lead Styphnate - 29%
- Aluminium powder - 3%
What produces Red colour in Smoke and signal?
Strontium nitrate, oxalate
What produces Yellow colour in Smoke and signal?
Sodium nitrate
What produces Green colour in Smoke and signal?
Barium nitrate, chlorate
What produces Blue colour in Smoke and signal?
Copper carbonate, chloride, oxychloride
What produces White colour in Smoke and signal?
Barium nitrate/ potassium nitrate mixture
What produces Orange colour in Smoke and signal?
Calcium nitrate
2 most useful metals in incendiary composition
delay compositions
define igniter compositions
what was added to the picric acid explosives to increase there effectiveness
what does Ballisite consist of ?
-Capmhor
-nitro glycerine
-nitro cellulose
4 types of modern smokeless propellants
-single
-double
-tripple
-composite
what was added to the picric acid explosives to increase there effectiveness
Tetryl
What are the pyrotechnic groups
-Illum
-smoke
-signal
-delay
-tracer
-priming
-simulators
-pyromechanisms
what are the effects of pyrotechniques?
-heat
-light
-smoke
-noise
what are the characteristics of primer compositions?
-easily ignited
-generates high heat
-not burn to quickly
-produce some solid products of combustion
-be compatible with the mixture
primary explosive defintion
a substance or mixture of substances used to initiate a detonation or a burning reaction
what are the types of explosive intiators
-detonators
-Igniters
what are the types of intiators
igniferous
disruptive
What are some low explosives
Gunpowder
Pyro
propellant
What are some high explosives
Tetryl
Comp B
RDX
CE
What is comp b %
RDX 59.5
TNT 69.5
Wax 1
What is a desensitized in high explosives
TNT
WAX
Aluminium
Caps or primiers contain three primary components what are they?
The primery explosive
the oxidiser
the sensitiser
What is the purpose of a dark ignitor tracer
to prevent dazzling
What are the design requirements for illumination
Withstand firing forces
enough luminocity
burn for the correct time
What are the ideal properties for smoke
Immediate effect
unaffected as much as possible by weather
persistent
non anti personal
non incendiary
What are armies smoke requirments
screen and signalling
Definition of ignitor composition
a pyrotechnic composition used to ignite propellant explosive systems giving off hot flames, usually accompanies by sparks and hot gasses for relatively short time.
Metals useful in incindery
Magnesium
Aluminium
Delay definition
a device which provides a time delay for burning train of inflammable composition between events.
a pyro delay between igniting or exploding events.
Definition propellants
