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ON THE POSSIBILITY OF IGNITION OF MATERIALS BY RADIATION FROM NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS

Thomas, P.H., Simms, D.L. and Law, M., 1962. ON THE POSSIBILITY OF IGNITION OF MATERIALS BY RADIATION FROM NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS. Fire Research Notes 561


ABSTRACT

Threshold energies for the ignition of cellulosic materials by various sizes of nuclear weapons have been calculated assuming that the materials are inert and ignite at a fixed temperature. For thermally thick materials ignition occurs when the surface reaches 525C, for thermally thin materials ignition occurs when the mean temperature reaches 525C. There is reasonably close agreement between the experimental results and the calculated values. Means for allowing for the effect of different colours are given.



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