Claims
- 1. An igniting system for use in an ignitor having an electrical ignition device operable in a hot-wire mode, said igniting system comprising:
- (a) an initiating charge of a thermite in ultra-fine powder form disposable adjacent to the electrical ignition device and ignitable by the ignition device; and
- (b) an output charge of a thermite in high-density consolidated form disposable adjacent to said initiating charge on an opposite end thereof from the electrical ignition device and ignitable by the initiating charge; and
- (c) a hot-wire means for direct igniting of said thermite mixtures.
- 2. The igniting system as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermite of said initiating charge is a mixture of iron oxide having a particle size of about 0.5 micron and aluminum in a spherical powder form having a particle size of about 1 micron.
- 3. The igniting system as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermite of said initiating charge is compacted to 50-70% of theoretical maximum density.
- 4. The igniting system as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermite of said initiating charge requires an energy of at most 100 millijoules for initiation of ignition thereof by the electrical ignition device in the hot-wire mode.
- 5. The igniting system as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermite of said output charge is a mixture of iron oxide having a particle size of about 0.5 micron and aluminum in a flake form having a particle size of about 3 microns.
- 6. The igniting system as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermite of said output charge is compacted to 90-99% of theoretical maximum density.
- 7. The igniting system as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermite of said output charge requires an energy of at least 500 millijoules for initiation of ignition thereof by said initiating charge.
- 8. An igniting system for use in an ignitor having an electrical ignition device operable in a hot-wire mode, said igniting system comprising:
- (a) an initiating charge of a thermite in ultra-fine powder form compacted to 50-70% of theoretical maximum density and disposable adjacent to the electrical ignition device and ignitable by the ignition device; and
- (b) an output charge of a thermite in high-density consolidated form compacted to 90-99% of theoretical maximum density and disposable adjacent to said initiating charge on an opposite end thereof from the electrical ignition device and ignitable by the initiating charge.
- 9. The igniting system as recited in claim 8, wherein said thermite of said initiating charge requires an energy of at most 100 millijoules for initiation of ignition thereof by the electrical ignition device in the hot-wire mode.
- 10. The igniting system as recited in claim 9, wherein said thermite of said output charge requires an energy of at least 500 millijoules for initiation of ignition thereof by said initiating charge.
- 11. The igniting system as recited in claim 8, wherein said thermite of said initiating charge is a mixture of iron oxide having a particle size of about 0.5 micron and aluminum in a spherical powder form having a particle size of about 1 micron.
- 12. The igniting system as recited in claim 11, wherein said thermite of said output charge is a mixture of iron oxide having a particle size of about 0.5 micron and aluminum in a flake form having a particle size of about 3 microns.
- 13. In an ignitor having a ground header with a cavity therein and mounting an electrical ignition device in communication with and adjacent to an end of said header cavity, an igniting system comprising:
- (a) an initiating charge of a thermite in ultra-fine powder form compacted to 50-70% of theoretical maximum density and being disposed in said header cavity adjacent to said electrical ignition device and ignitable by said ignition device;
- (b) an output charge of a thermite in high-density consolidated form compacted to 90-99% of theoretical maximum density and being disposed adjacent to said initiating charge on an opposite end thereof from said electrical ignition device and ignitable by said initiating charge; and
- (c) means for mounting said output charge to said ground header.
- 14. The ignitor as recited in claim 13, wherein said thermite of said initiating charge requires an energy of at most 100 millijoules for initiation of ignition thereof by the electrical ignition device in the hot-wire mode.
- 15. The ignitor as recited in claim 14, wherein said thermite of said output charge requires an energy of at least 500 millijoules for initiation of ignition thereof by said initiating charge.
- 16. The ignitor as recited in claim 13, wherein said thermite of said initiating charge is a mixture of iron oxide having a particle size of about 0.5 micron and aluminum in a spherical powder form having a particle size of about 1 micron.
- 17. The ignitor as recited in claim 16, wherein said thermite of said output charge is a mixture of iron oxide having a particle size of about 0.5 micron and aluminum in a flake form having a particle size of about 3 microns.
- 18. The ignitor as recited in claim 13, wherein said mounting means is a sleeve disposed about said header and output charge so as to encompass adjacent portions thereof and confine said initiating charge therebetween in said header cavity.
RIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENT
The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC04-76DP00053 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to Monsanto Research Corporation.
US Referenced Citations (7)