Explosive output, calculated

Of course these calculations are based on rather idealized behavior. In reahty, other factors, such as actual density of the charge (which may be significantly lower than the crystal density, the latter being the maximmn value attainable) and non-ideal detonation behavior, have a bearing on the comparison. Some actual performance testing has been reported ( [29,30], Sect. 10) and indicates that FOX-7 is comparable with RDX in its explosive output. 

Figure 2. Calculated explosive output along the isentrope - relative to HMX (ONC Octanitrocubane TTC Tetranitrotetrazacubane DDT Dinitro- diazatetrahedrane).

Output Tests, Calculated Explosion Temperatures, and Results of... 

Such calculations can give an approximate estimate of the Hkely maximum yield of explosives and explosives mixtures, and may readily be transferred to a spreadsheet for ease of use. In practice, small charges, particularly of improvised explosives, tend to produce less than their maximum output, and this needs to be estabhshed by experimental measurements. The results of simple calculations such as those above can be particularly helpful in the design of suitable experimental tests of explosives. 

In an effort to understand the formidable-appearing output of many computations for a wide variety of C-H-N-O explosives at various initial loading densities, we have investigated interrelationships between such properties as pressure, velocity, density, heat of reaction, etc. These studies have led to a number of interesting observations, important among which were the facts that much simpler semiempirical formulas could be written for desk calculation of detonation velocities and detonation pressures, with about the same reliance on their answers as one could attach to the more complex computer output. These equations require as input information only the explosive s composition and loading density and an estimate of its heat of formation, and, in their comparative simplicity,... 

Slagg et al point out that theoretical performance of FAE clouds may not be realized in practice The available energy of a fuel-air explosive may not be realized due to the rarefaction wave (Fig 7) which can alter the flow field and thereby remove energy from the blast or detonation wave. At present, theoretical calculations cannot be performed taking this factor into consideration due to the lack of a realistic physical model. In addition, comparisons between calculations of theoretical outputs and experiments are difficult at this time because the fuel-... 

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