Fuel-air mixtures are powerful volumetric explosives (FAE) that were developed at the end of World War II. FAE may virtually use any particulate combustible such as cornstarch powder, metal powders, liquid hydrocarbons or boron hydrides and any type of combustible gases. Dispersions or mixtures of these fuels with air thermally ignite at defined stoichiometry, temperature and pressure. Deflagration of such a system may transition to detonation by a number of mechanisms effecting coherent energy release e.g. (SWAGER). However, transition to detonation of a fuel/air mixture requires supercritical size of the cloud appropriate stoichiometry, temperature and pressure of the system. Generally high temperatures and pressures further DDT and lead to reduction of critical size.

1. Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center
Centre d'information et d'analyse sur la securite des munitions
(MSIAC)
MSIAC UNCLASSIFIED - MSIAC © 2010
VOLUMETRIC EXPLOSIVES
PART I
FUEL/AIR EXPLOSIVES
by
Dr. Ernst-Christian Koch
TSO Energetic Materials
This document has been prepared for MSIAC member
nations. Disclosure of the contents to other nations
must be authorised by the MSIAC Steering
Committee.
NATO Headquarters - Siege de l'OTAN
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Tel: 32-2-707.54.16 - Fax: 32-2-707.53.63 - Email: info@msiac.nato.int
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L-165
July 2010