U.S. Patent 4,293,314: Gelled Fuel-Air Explosive / October 6, 1981.

Stull
44/7 D; 102/90; 102/363
Primary Examiner —Edward A. Miller
Attorney, Agent, or Firm —R. S. Sciascia; W. Thom Skeer; Lloyd E. K. Pohl
1,2-Butylene oxide as a fuel for a fuel air explosive weapon. The oxide may be used either as a pure liquid or gelled with a gelling agent such as silicon dioxide, particulate carbon or aluminum octoate.
3 Claims, No Drawings
1. Field of the Invention 5
This invention relates to fuels for fuel air explosive weapons. More particularly, this invention relates to a method for causing an explosion comprising the steps of dispersing a cloud of liquid fuel in the air and detonating the cloud wherein the cloud is composed of particles of 10 gelled or ungelled 1,2-butylene oxide.
1. Description of the Prior Art
Fuel air explosive weapons are now well known. A typical example of one is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,509 which was issued to Gary A. Carlson on May 15 11, 1976.
Fuel air explosive weapons may be described as devices which, upon activation, cause liquid fuel particles to be dispersed in the form of a detonable cloud in the air and then detonate the cloud. 20
A number of fuels have been used in fuel air explosive weapons. Among these are ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. Because of the ease with which is cloud of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide can be detonated, these two materials are the most commonly used. However, 25 these fuels have certain drawbacks.