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In a thermite igniter/heat source comprising a container holding an internal igniter load, there is provided the improvement wherein the container consists essentially of consumable consolidated thermite having a low gas output upon combustion, whereby upon ignition, substantially all of the container and said load is consumed with low gas production.

Inventors: Albert Gibson, Lowell D. Haws, Jonathan H. Mohler
Original Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
Current U.S. Classification: 102/202; 102/202.5; 149/15; 149/22; 149/37
International Classification: F42C 1912

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Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US3392673May 29, 19671968CONSUMABLE PYROGEN IGNITER
US36690201972FIREBOMB IGNITER DEVICES AND COMPONENTS
US3880595Aug 22, 19731975GAS GENERATING COMPOSITIONS AND APPARATUS
US4013061Mar 26, 1975Mar 22, 1977Thermology, Inc.Ignition system for chemical heaters

Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US4608102Nov 14, 1984Aug 26, 1986Omark Industries, Inc.Primer composition
US4648319May 14, 1985Mar 10, 1987Aktiebolaget BoforsIgnition device
US4759291Jul 6, 1987Jul 26, 1988Halliburton CompanyThrough bulkhead explosive initiator for oil well usage
US4989515Aug 8, 1989Feb 5, 1991The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of EnergyIgnitor with stable low-energy thermite igniting system
US4996922Nov 15, 1989Mar 5, 1991The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of EnergyLow profile thermite igniter
US5266132Oct 8, 1991Nov 30, 1993The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of EnergyEnergetic composites
US5291828Oct 26, 1992Mar 8, 1994Alliant Techsystems, Inc.Insensitive propellant ignitor
US5505799Sep 19, 1993Apr 9, 1996Regents of the University of CaliforniaNanoengineered explosives
US5606146Jul 1, 1993Feb 25, 1997The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of EnergyEnergetic composites and method of providing chemical energy
US5668345Oct 19, 1995Sep 16, 1997Morton International, Inc.Airbag inflators employing coated porous substrates
US5773748Jun 14, 1995Jun 30, 1998Regents of the University of CaliforniaLimited-life cartridge primers
US6672215Oct 17, 2001Jan 6, 2004Textron Systems CorporationConstant output high-precision microcapillary pyrotechnic initiator
US6761116Apr 12, 2002Jul 13, 2004Textron Sytems CorporationConstant output high-precision microcapillary pyrotechnic initiator
US6805832Jul 9, 2002Oct 19, 2004Thermite torch cutting nozzle
US6925937Mar 26, 2003Aug 9, 2005Thermal generator for downhole tools and methods of igniting and assembly
US6997998Jan 8, 2004Feb 14, 2006Dynamit Nobel GmbH Explosivstoff-und SystemtechnikLead-and barium-free propellant charges
US7896988Jun 15, 2007Mar 1, 2011Spectre Enterprises, Inc.Charge system for destroying chips on a circuit board and method for destroying chips on a circuit board
US7951247Sep 30, 2002May 31, 2011Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLCNano-laminate-based ignitors

Claims

1. In a thermite igniter/heat source comprising a container holding an internal igniter load, the improvement wherein the container consists essentially of consumable consolidated thermite having a low gas output upon combustion, whereby upon ignition, substantially all of the container and said load is consumed with low gas production.

2. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 1, wherein the consolidated thermite is a combination of aluminum metal and MnO.sub.2, MoO.sub.3, CuO, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4, PbO.sub.2, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, WO.sub.3, Cu.sub.2 O, Pb.sub.3 O.sub.4, NiO or a mixture thereof.

3. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 1, wherein the consolidated thermite is a combination of aluminum metal and CuO, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4, Cu.sub.2 O, NiO or a mixture thereof.

4. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 1, wherein the consolidated thermite is a combination of aluminum metal and Cu.sub.2 O.

5. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 1, wherein the consolidated thermite is a combination of about 11 weight percent of Al and about 89 weight percent of Cu.sub.2 O.

6. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 1, wherein the consolidated thermite is prepared by hot pressing thermite powder.

7. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 1, wherein the smallest dimension of the container is about 250 mils.

8. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 1, wherein the largest dimension of the container is about 4 inches.

9. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 1, wherein the container has side walls and a bottom wall and which further comprises,

two electrodes passing through the bottom wall into the inside of the container, and
a fuse inside the container and in contact with the ends of the two electrodes which are inside the container.

10. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 9, wherein the container has cylindrical side walls and wherein the internal igniter load comprises discrete, compositionally distinct zones.

11. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 10, wherein said internal igniter load comprises a primer mix in contact with said fuse, a low density thermite mix over said primer mix, a thermal barrier over said low density thermite mix, a burnable barrier over said thermal barrier, and a consolidated thermite charge over said burnable barrier.

12. A thermite igniter/heat source of claim 6, wherein the consolidated thermite is hot-pressed at 460.degree.-500.degree. C. and at least 10,000 psi for 15-30 minutes to achieve 80-100% of theoretical maximum density.

Drawings