PORTABLE HIGH EXPLOSIVES PRESSURE TRANSDUCER CALIBRATION

SPARTA, INC. PROPOSES A PROGRAM TO DESIGN, FABRICATE AND EVALUATE A PORTABLE PULSE GENERATING DEVICE THAT IS CAPABLE OF GENERATING PRESSURE PULSES UP TO 200 PSI WITH RISE TIMES OF LESS THAN 25 MICROSECONDS, WITH AN ACCURACY OF ONE PERCENT OR LESS. THE PRESSURE PULSE GENERATOR WILL BE PORTABLE AND SELF CONTAINED. REQUIRED ANCILLARY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WOULD BE A BATTERY POWERED OSCILLOSCOPE, A STANDARD PIEZO-ELECTRIC PRESSURE TRANSDUCER AND ITS BATTERY POWERED SIGNAL CONDITIONER. THE PROPOSED PRESSURE PULSE GENERATOR IS A MINIATURE SHOCK TUBE WITH A HIGH PRESSURE HELIUM DRIVER THAT IS SUDDENLY RELEASED THROUGH A DIAPHRAGM AND EXPANSION NOZZLE INTO A SHOCK TUBE WHERE THE NORMAL PULSE DEVELOPS AND SWEEPS BY OR IMPINGES ON THE TEST TRANSDUCER. A STANDARD PIEZO-ELECTRIC TRANSDUCER IS USED TO CALIBRATE THE STRENGTH OF EACH PULSE. SHOCK OVER PRESSURE IS VARIABLE BY THE OPERATOR'S SETTING OF INITIAL DRIVER PRESSURE AT THE TEST TEMPERATURE.