Deflagration is defined as?

Deflagration is defined as?

• A. A rapid burning down short of true detonation
• B. A rapid detonation of a charge
• C. Sympathetic detonation
• D. Nonelectric blast design

Answer: (A)

Deflagration is when a rapid burn travels through an explosive at subsonic speeds, without forming the shock front that characterizes true detonation. Because the flame front moves slower than the speed of sound in the material, the pressure rise is much lower and you get burning rather than an explosive detonation. That’s why this describes burning down short of true detonation. The other ideas refer to different phenomena: detonation involves a supersonic shock wave and rapid explosive reaction; sympathetic detonation is an unintended detonation of nearby charges caused by a nearby blast; and nonelectric blast design relates to initiating systems that don’t use electric initiators.

Deflagration is when a rapid burn travels through an explosive at subsonic speeds, without forming the shock front that characterizes true detonation. Because the flame front moves slower than the speed of sound in the material, the pressure rise is much lower and you get burning rather than an explosive detonation. That’s why this describes burning down short of true detonation. The other ideas refer to different phenomena: detonation involves a supersonic shock wave and rapid explosive reaction; sympathetic detonation is an unintended detonation of nearby charges caused by a nearby blast; and nonelectric blast design relates to initiating systems that don’t use electric initiators.