Experimental study of fuel-air explosive

Experiments on an explosion of a fuel-air explosive (FAE) are carried out in open field, and comparative analyses between solid fuels, liquid-solid fuels of different recipes, and TNT of the same mass are applied. The results show that the effect of the FAE explosion at 3–6 m from the explosion center is definitely more pronounced than that of a TNT charge of the same mass, and solid fuels are more effective than liquid-solid fuels. A new formula for the peak pressure of the air shock wave is derived through an analysis of numerous experiments. The maximum value of the TNT equivalent for the fuels examined is found to be 5.35. The dispersive effect of mixed fuels in air is better than of TNT of the same mass; the flames last longer as well. High-speed photography indicates that the lasting time of fireballs of solid FAEs with suitable prescriptions are close to that of fuels consisting of solid and liquid component. The reason for non-synchronization of the time of reaching the highest pressure caused by the explosion of mixed fuels and the moment when the fireball reaches the maximum diameter is analyzed. The single ignition mechanism is discussed.