The Secrets ofPyrotechnic Whistles

Joseph A. DomanicoVP Publications / Webmaster

Crackerjacks, Inc.drpyro@home.com

Who Was That Masked Man?

n Crackerjacks, Incn Vice Presidentn Publicationsn Webmaster: www.crackerjacks.org

n Department of the Armyn Chief, Pyrotechnics Team (26 years)n LTC Maryland Army National Guard

Vibrational Burning

Major Chemicals for Pyrotechnic Whistles

Gallic Acid C7H6O5

Sodium Salicylate C7H5NaO3

Potassium Picrate C6H2KN307

Potassium Benzoate C7H5K02

Potassium Dinitrophenate C6H3N2O5K

Potassium Hydrogen Phthalate KC8H5O4

Formulation EfficiencyPotassium Benzoate : Potassium Perchlora te

For Carbon Monoxide Only:2 KC 7H5O 2 . 3 H20 + 4 KClO 4 K 2O + 4 KCl + 11 H 2O + 14 CO

yie lds sto ichiometric fue l:ox id izer ratio o f 44:56

For Carbon Dioxide Only:4 KC7H5O2 . 3 H20 + 15 KClO 4 2 K 2O + 15 KCl + 22 H 2O + 28 CO 2

yie lds sto ichiometric fue l:ox id izer ratio o f 29:71

Typical Whistle Design

Air Void

Whistle Composition

Solid Acrylic Rod

PotassiumBenzoate27 PBW

PotassiumPerchlorate

73 PBW

40mm Whistle

Typical Noise Levels

WhisperConversationAlarm Clock

5/4 Ton TruckDisc Sander

PowersawChainsaw

Pneumatic HammerFirecrackerCap Pistol

ShotgunTOW Missile

0 50 100 150 200

dBA (85) dBP (140)

Discomfort

Tickle

Pain

Current uses

Incoming artillery shell

Trainingboobytrap

èEntertainment fireworks

Artillery Simulator(small whistle….loud blast)

Output Energy Comparison

Composition Cal per gram

Base Whistle Composition 3,394

Photoflash 2,491

Bullseye Smokeless Powder 1,753

A1A Ignition Mix 903

Red Smoke Mix 895

Composition (degrees C)

Bullseye Smokeless Powder 192

Red Smoke Composition 198

Pyrotechnic Whistle Composition 432

A1A Ignition Composition 437

Photoflash Composition 545

Ignition Temperatures

Possible Formulations

Gallic Acid 24

Sodium Salicylate 28

Potassium Picrate 50

Potassium Benzoate 30

Potassium Dinitrophenate 70

Potassium Chlorate 73

Potassium Perchlorate 75 70

Potassium Nitrate 50 30

GallicAcid

SodiumSalicylate

PotassiumPicrate

PotassiumBenzoate

PotassiumDinitrophenate

Potassium Hydrogen Phthalate

IncreasingH

azard

Pyrotechnic Whistle Fuels

Detonation TendencyGallic Acid C OH

OOH

OH

OH

Potass ium Be nzoate

O

KOC - +

Sodium Salicylate

OH

C NaO

O

Potas s ium Dinitrophe nate ONO2

NO2

+K-

Potass ium Picrate

NO2

O K

NO2

NO2 - +

Oxidizer Substitution

302520

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

Time

Potassium Chlorate Potassium Perchlorate

All Band Pass ComparisonPotassium Benzoate / Oxidizer

35 40 45 50

Percent Fuel

Equipment Information

Company RION

Model NA-29

Measurement Range 27-130 dB(A)

Frequency Range 20-8000 Hz (9 octaves)

Dynamic Range 50 dB (80-130)

Capacity 1500 screens

Store period 2 ms to 10 sec

RS-232 Interface 9600 baud rate

Battery life (AA) 4 hours

Frequency Band Comparison

80

100

120

0

1

2

3

4

ControlWhistle

StainlessSteel

80

100

120

0

1

2

3

4

Frequency Band Comparison

AluminumFlake

ControlWhistle

80

100

120

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

ControlWhistle

GuanidineNitrate

Frequency Band Comparison

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

Am

plitu

de (

db)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Time (seconds)

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Frequency Band Analysis2K Band Response vs Percent Red Gum

Burn Rate Reduction

Burning Rate Reduction

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

mm

/sec

BaseSulfurClayRed GumPVACornstarchMekon WhiteMP 12Acrawac C

Amplitude Increase by Diameter

0.50"

0.75"

1.75"

1.25"

2.25"

0.25"6mm

13mm

19mm

32mm

44mm

57mm

149

25

49

81

Actual Diameter Effect

UAV Whistle Submunition

Typical Whistle Design

Air Void

Whistle Composition

Solid Acrylic Rod

PotassiumBenzoate27 PBW

PotassiumPerchlorate

73 PBW

Air Void

Whistle Composition

Solid Acrylic Rod

PotassiumBenzoate27 PBW

PotassiumPerchlorate

73 PBW

Expelled Insert

High – Low Whistle Design

Hi-Lo Whistle Design

Air Void

Whistle Composition

Solid Acrylic Rod

PotassiumBenzoate27 PBW

PotassiumPerchlorate

73 PBW

Expelled Insert

Air Void

Whistle Composition

Solid Acrylic Rod

PotassiumBenzoate27 PBW

PotassiumPerchlorate

73 PBW

Step Whistle Design

Step Whistle Design

Air Void

Whistle Composition

Solid Acrylic Rod

PotassiumBenzoate27 PBW

PotassiumPerchlorate

73 PBW

35mm Whistle Grenade

Small E.G.A.D.4 inches high

M201A1 fuze

Reduced effects

Expendable Ground Acoustic Device

BaselineSulfur

ClayRed Gum

CornstarchMP12 Wax

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Bu

rn R

ate

(mm

/sec

) 5% Binder

Binder Effect

BaselineSulfur

ClayRed Gum

CornstarchMP12 Wax

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

Pea

k A

mpl

itude

(dB

)Binder Effect

5% Binder

Binder Effect

BaselineSulfur

ClayRed Gum

CornstarchMP 12 Wax

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

Ave

rage

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

5% Binder

BaselineSulfur Clay

Red GumCornstarch

MP12 Wax

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

Peak vs Average Amplitude

Average

Peak

5% Binder

Whistle Quality

BaselineSulfur

ClayRed Gum

CornstarchMP 12 Wax

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Sm

ooth

ness

Fac

tor 5% Binder

(Peak Amplitude Minus Average Amplitude)

Burn Rate vs Binder Percent vs Amplitude

5% 10% 15%Binder Percent

2

3

4

5

6

Bur

n R

ate

(mm

/sec

)

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

Pea

k A

mpl

itude

(dB

) Baseline

Sulfur

Clay

Red Gum

Cornstarch

MP 12 Wax

Burn Rate vs Average Amplitude

2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5

Burn Rate (mm/sec)

108

110

112

114

116

118

120

Ave

rage

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

BaselineSulfurClayRed GumCornstarchMP 12 Wax

5% Binder

4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

4.9

5

Burn Rate (mm/sec)

Control

MgAlSS Powder

Sulfur

Burn Rate Comparison +10%

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Burn Rate (mm/sec)

GuNO3NaNO3BaNO3ControlSrNO3

Burn Rate Comparison +10%

(Max imum - Average) Amplitude

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Decibels (dB)

BaNO3GuNO3NaNO3SrNO3ControlSulfurAl Flake CrsSS PowderMgAl

Smoothness Factor

Amplitude Increase

Oxidizer Highlights

00

00

00

00

119

120

120

121

121

122

122

ZnO

ControlFe2O3

Cu2OCuO

FeO

Pb3O4

PbO

MnO2

Burn Rate (in/sec)

Peak

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

Burn Rate Comparison10% Additive

3.84

4.24.44.64.8

55.25.4

Burn Rate (mm/sec)

ControlMgAlSS PowderSulfurAl Flake Crs

Fuel Effect on Burn Rate

0.2 0.21 0.22 0.23 0.24 0.25 0.26 0.27118.5

119

119.5

120

120.5

121

121.5

Control

Mg

Zn

Cu

Ti

Al

Si

Fe(-)

B

Peak

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

Burn Rate (in/sec)

Inorganic Fuel Highlights

Fe(+)Mn

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Stearic acid

Control

Terephthalic acid

Red gum

Sucrose

Charcoal

Burn Rate (in/sec)

Peak

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

Organic Fuel Results

Fine Powdered Iron

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

Peak

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

Additional Percent

Bur

n R

ate

(in/

sec)

HighLoadingResults

Black Copper Oxide

00.05

0.10.15

0.20.25

0.30.35

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

HighLoadingResults

Peak

Am

plitu

de (

dB)

Additional Percent

Bur

n R

ate

(in/

sec)

Flame Reduction

Fe

Ti

325

Fe

100

SS

Control

10%Metal

Powder

Spark Comparison

Spark Comparison

10%Powder

Charcoal

Control

Red Gum

Flame Shape Comparison

Coarse Iron Fine Iron

ZincControl CharcoalMagnesium

Titanium Strontium Nitrate

B

Mg Zn

Control

10%Metal

Powder

Spark Comparison

Al

Increased Compaction Pressure

2000 psi 3000 psi 4000 psi

5000 psi 6000 psi 7000 psi

8000 psi 9000 psi 10,000 psi

Whistle vs Blast Comparison

Time -->

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

Am

plitu

de (

dB) Magnesium

Airburst

Titanium

Concussion

ITLX

Flash

BP Class 8

Pyro Whistle

Amplitude Increase by Diameter

0.50"

0.75"

1.75"

1.25"

2.25"

0.25"6mm

13mm

19mm

32mm

44mm

57mm

149

25

49

81

3 Inch Diameter Test Whistle