Dynamic behavior of an explosive opening switch

An investigation into the dynamic behavior of explosive opening switches, which are used in power compression circuits for railgun research, is summarized. During switch operation, a primacord is ignited at one end of the switch, and a detonation wave propagates down the primacord along the length of the switch. It is assumed that all locations along the length of the primacord detonate simultaneously, a line detonation. A 2-D Eulerian hydrocode was executed to simulate the early-time dynamics of the explosive switch. Three different opening switch element geometries were considered: a circular external shape with a round internal hole, a faceted (or hexagonal) external shape with a round internal hole, and a circular external shape with a round internal hole that has four internal notches directed along predetermined shear planes. The results provide insight into the pressures, stresses, and strains experienced at various locations in the switch.<>