Month:March 2007

K.L. and B.J Kosanke For maximum effectiveness of tightly choreographed fireworks displays, it is important that shell bursts occur very near their intended times. For the purpose of this article, it is assumed that electrical firing employing a computer or other means of accurately applying the firing current to electric matches is being used. In …
Continue reading Factors Affecting the Precision of Choreographed Displays

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke Background: A while ago, a small fireworks display company called seeking information about the effect of mortar internal diameter on the burst height expected to be achieved by aerial shells fired from them. It seems the company had received a large quantity of three-inch, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe that …
Continue reading The Effect of Mortar Diameter on the Burst Height of Three-Inch Spherical Aerial Shells

K.L. and B.J Kosanke ABSTRACT: It had been speculated that the replacement of fierce burning quick match shell leaders with electric matches might have contributed to the production of a significant number of low breaking aerial shells experienced by a small fireworks display company. A preliminary study of the effect of ignition stimulus level did …
Continue reading The Effect of Ignition Stimulus on Aerial Shell Lift Performance

K.L. and B.J Kosanke ABSTRACT: In many electrically discharged fireworks displays, it is a common practice to securely attach the electric match leg wires to both the aerial shell and to the firing mortar or mortar rack. When this is the case, it is necessary for the aerial shell to sever the attachment to the …
Continue reading Study on the Effect of Leg Wire Attachment on the Height Attained by Aerial Shells

K.L. and B.J Kosanke Introduction: Over the past 25 years, the percentage of spherical aerial shells that fall to the ground as duds after firing has substantially decreased. (This is especially true for shells from China.) Obviously this is a good thing, and it is a result of such things as improvements in the quality …
Continue reading Floating Dud Aerial Shells

K.L. and B.J Kosanke Recently, while in the United Kingdom and between teaching pyro-chemistry short courses, we took a side trip to visit the restored Chart gunpowder mill. This is the only restored mill from what was once a collection of approximately ten powder mills near the town of Faversham in Kent county. When operating …
Continue reading Faversham’s Gunpowder Mills

K.L. and B.J Kosanke After the 1999 PGI convention, the authors were told about a type of quick match that had been sold at the convention and which was suspected of being made using a chlorate oxidizer. The individual’s suspicion was based on his perception of its extremely fast burn rate. Subsequently, a sample of …
Continue reading Chlorate Compositions in Quickmatch

K.L. and B.J Kosanke ABSTRACT: Fireworks star shells occasionally explode upon firing while they are still inside the mortar. Most often, this occurs with approximately the same level of violence as when the shell explodes after having left the mortar, and often even relatively weak mortars survive the experience intact. While unnerving to the firing …
Continue reading Hypotheses Regarding Star-Shell Detonations

K. L. Kosanke, B. J. Kosanke & Richard C. Dujay ABSTRACT: Today the most reliable method for detecting gunshot residue is through the combined use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) of the resulting X-rays. In recent years, this same methodology has found increasing use in detecting and characterizing pyrotechnic reaction …
Continue reading Pyrotechnic Reaction Residue Particle Identification by SEM / EDS