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charge profile
A shaped charge, commonly also hollow charge if shaped with a cavity, is an explosive charge shaped to focus the effect of the explosive's energy. Different types of shaped charges are used for various purposes such as cutting and forming metal, initiating nuclear weapons, penetrating armor, or perforating wells in the oil and gas industry.
The effectiveness of a shaped charge is significantly influenced by manufacturing technology. From the military and civilian use of shaped charges, it is known that a typical modern shaped charge, having a conical cavity equipped with a metal liner, and produced using conventional technologies and traditional lining materials, can penetrate a hardened steel barrier to a depth of no more than 6 charge diameters (CD). However, by increasing the precision of shaped charge manufacturing, meeting all quality requirements for the lining material and the explosive charge, using advanced methods of filling with high-explosives, and using initiation systems capable of precisely controlling the detonation front, it is possible to increase this limit to 8–10 charge diameters. Finally, for perfectly manufactured shaped charges, it is expected that penetration depths of steel barriers equal to 12 calibers or charge diameters can be achieved.
Contrary to misconception, possibly resulting from the acronym HEAT (high-explosive anti-tank), the shaped charge does not depend in any way on heating or melting for its effectiveness; that is, the jet from a shaped charge does not melt its way through armor, as its effect is purely kinetic in nature. However, the process does create significant heat and often has a significant secondary incendiary effect after penetration.
View More On Wikipedia.org
The effectiveness of a shaped charge is significantly influenced by manufacturing technology. From the military and civilian use of shaped charges, it is known that a typical modern shaped charge, having a conical cavity equipped with a metal liner, and produced using conventional technologies and traditional lining materials, can penetrate a hardened steel barrier to a depth of no more than 6 charge diameters (CD). However, by increasing the precision of shaped charge manufacturing, meeting all quality requirements for the lining material and the explosive charge, using advanced methods of filling with high-explosives, and using initiation systems capable of precisely controlling the detonation front, it is possible to increase this limit to 8–10 charge diameters. Finally, for perfectly manufactured shaped charges, it is expected that penetration depths of steel barriers equal to 12 calibers or charge diameters can be achieved.
Contrary to misconception, possibly resulting from the acronym HEAT (high-explosive anti-tank), the shaped charge does not depend in any way on heating or melting for its effectiveness; that is, the jet from a shaped charge does not melt its way through armor, as its effect is purely kinetic in nature. However, the process does create significant heat and often has a significant secondary incendiary effect after penetration.
View More On Wikipedia.org