
Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs
Publication Date
1-29-2009
Abstract
The electromagnetic (EM) characteristics of hot-wire detonators are determined in order to quantify more precisely their response to EM illumination. The analyses include a comprehensive study of detonators physical characteristics, which is then used to model detonators using transmission line theory. The theoretical analysis treats the detonator as a cascaded transmission line incorporating several different dielectrics, and examines both differential and common mode excitation for a generic detonator model. This 1-D analytical model is implemented in MatLAB and used to determine the input impedance of the detonator for a frequency range spanning DC to 9 GHz. This program can then quickly investigate similar hot-wire detonators by varying their parameters. The generic model of the detonator is also simulated using ICEPIC, a 3-D finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) full wave numerical EM solver. The ICEPIC simulations are performed at several frequencies for both differential and common mode excitations, and are used to determine EM properties of the detonator. The results of these simulations are compared with the analytical predictions. Both the analytical and numerical techniques are then used to improve the MatLAB program's ability to accurately predict the detonator's EM characteristics. This is accomplished by including additional elements in the 1-D model accounting for detonator properties revealed in the 3-D EM simulation results. Finally, the analytical model is used to predict the input impedance for state-of-the-art blasting cap. These predictions are then compared with data from experimental measurements performed on 108 live devices.'
Keywords
Electric detonators--Testing., Electric detonators--Computer simulation., Electromagnetic theory.
Sponsors
Air Force Research Laboratory Office of Naval Research Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Document Type
Dissertation
Language
English
Degree Name
Electrical Engineering
Level of Degree
Doctoral
Department Name
Electrical and Computer Engineering
First Committee Member (Chair)
Christodoulou, Christos
Second Committee Member
Gilmore, Mark
Third Committee Member
Stone, Alexander
Fourth Committee Member
Cartwright, Keith
Recommended Citation
Lambrecht, Michael. "Electromagnetic modeling of hot-wire detonators using analytical and numerical methods with comparison to experiment." (2009). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/ece_etds/148