Detonating Cord for Flux Compression Generation using Electrical Detonator No. 33

Abstract

The paper highlights the use of electrical detonators for magnetic flux compression generator applications which requires synchronisation of two events with precise time delay of tens of ms and jitter within a few ms. These requirements are generally achieved by exploding bridge wire type detonators which are difficult to develop and are not commercially available. A technique has been developed using commercially available electrical detonator no. 33 to synchronise between peak of seed current in stator coil and detonation of explosive charge in armature. In present experiments, electrical signal generated by self-shorting pin due to bursting of electrical detonator has been used to trigger the capacitor discharge and the detonating cord of known length has been used to incorporate predetermined delay to synchronise the events. It has been demonstrated that using electrical detonator and known length of detonating cord, the two events can be synchronised with predetermined delay between 31 and 251 ms with variation of ± 0.5ms. The technique developed is suitable for defence applications like generation of high power microwaves using explosive driven magnetic flux compression generators.

Defence Science Journal, 2011, 61(1), pp.19-24, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.61.30