Role of Radiation in Surface Burning of Melt Cast TNT.

A thick pyrolysis zone regression model was developed to describe radiation driven surface burning of translucent homogeneous explosives and propellants. Radiation from the luminous flame penetrates deep beneath the surface and starts pyrolysis to an intermediate gas phase at randomly distributed germ nuclei. Pyrolysis is completed at the surface where the remaining porous solid is exposed to the decomposition products. The resulting gases then chemically react in the flame zone above the surface and release their energy. When radiation is dominant instead of conduction, the rate of regression mostly depends on the flame temperature, not the pressure. © 2004 American Institute of Physics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]