Cleaning of minefields by cumulative aerosol explosions (Fuel-Air-Explosives)

Aerosol bombs are weapons that have been used in the war for decades.

These are bombs that expel explosive gas that is explozsion blown up after blasting and causes a strong explosion.

 Compared to the classic fugitive bomb, the aerosol bomb has a much larger radius of destruction, and from its action it does not protect trenches or coverings. By burning oxygen in the cloud, a buildup is underpressure created that increases the lethal effect of the bomb.

Except for the destruction of live force, bunkers and weapons, this explosion is also used for destroying minefields.

Such bombs with gas mixtures are most commonly used for quick cleaning of minefields in combat. They are particularly useful for the destruction of scrap mines that are thrown out of the air and which are one of the most difficult problems faced by land forces today in attack operations.

An exploration of such aerosol explosions began in 1960, and was later referred to as the FAE Explosive (Fuel-Air-Explosive).

Aerosol bombs as explosives can use detonation with acetylene, aluminum, butane, decane, propane, ethanol, ethylene, ethylene oxide, heptane, corine, methane, propylene and propylene oxide.

The Canadian system FALCON (company of Thomson-CSF Systems) opens the passage through the minefield using the FAE Explosive (Fuel-Air Explosives). A rocket with four 70-mm CRV-7 rocket engines springs up to 300 m of hose over a minefield. The hoses are assembled inside a large container and a cable connected to the rocket. After launching, filled propylene-filled hoses generate an explosion of fuel-air, produced by intrusion detonation. After the spraying of the hose, the fuel-air mixture fell every 15 to 24 m along the hose.

Explosive impact creates pressure on the ground that can activate all PP and PT mines and open the passage 200 m x 10 m.

 Similar tools for mine clearance have both Americans and Russians, and probably other armies.

The same effect as fired bowls with aerosol explosives could be made much simpler and more effective. On the front part of the armored vehicle 1 can be placed a long steel arm 2 on which there is an arm extension 3 in the form of a letter V.

Below the V-shaped arm extension 3, a rubber perforated hose 4 is hanged through which an explosive gas is released under short-term pressure. The gas from the armored vehicle 1 with the thin rubber hose 5 leads to the perforated hose 4. This hose has small holes facing down through which the pressure gas exits to the ground and creates a small aerosol cloud. This cloud has the shape of the letter V facing forward, looking from the top.

After throwing out a small amount of gas with an electric igniter, the gas burns down, and a small explosion is cumulatively directed forward. Because of the small amount of gas the explosion has a weak effect backward or upward, but the forward pressure increases multiply due to the cumulative effect.

The hand 2 on which this perforated rubber hose 3 hangs may move from left to right to allow the explosion to be directed to more than one side. This can be done by widening the road through the minefield.

The explosion has a very small impact on the vehicle, as the shape of the aerosol cloud makes the explosion move forward. Thanks to this, explosive equipment can withstand many explosions every few minutes. For the safety of the crew, the vehicle can also be operated remotely.

After each explosion, the vehicle moves a few feet ahead and the procedure is repeated.

Other of my technical analyzes and innovations can be found in this book.