Comparison of Constant Current and Capacitor Discharge Ignition of Normal Lead Styphnate

A comparison was made of constant current and capacitor discharge ignition of normal lead styphnate in the time regime typically employed for firing initiators by each type of signal. The loading pressure was varied from 2,500 to 60,000 psi. For the regimes studied, as the explosive loading pressure was increased, constant current activation gave longer ignition times but capacitor discharge firing gave shorter ignition times. The energy requirement for ignition increased with loading pressure for constant current ignition, and was constant for capacitor discharge ignition.