Primary Explosive Processing in the Resonant Acoustic Mixer

Abstract

Abstract Over the last decade, resonant acoustic mixing (RAM) technology has rapidly matured for use in the defense sector. Its ability to rapidly mix even highly viscous substances through application of acoustic energy while avoiding the use of traditional blades has provided substantial leaps forward in both safety and efficiency. To date, RAM has been applied by the energetics community to a variety of secondary explosive and propellant formulations with no reported incidents; however, the technology has never been rigorously evaluated with highly sensitive energetic materials, such as primary explosives. The work described in this report was performed to facilitate the establishment of safe operating procedures for the RAM mixing of primary explosives and primary explosive formulations. Through a Design of Experiments (DOE) approach, an analysis of mixing conditions that produce an initiation event was performed, which were used to set boundaries for the safe mixing of primary explosives and primary explosive formulations. For initial trials, uncoated copper (I) 5‐nitrotetrazolate (DBX‐1) was utilized, and boundaries were set for the results of this material only.