Nonel Shock-Tube System
Definition
A non-electric initiating system using a hollow plastic tube coated internally with approximately 18 mg/m of HMX. A low-energy shock propagates through the tube at ~2,000 m/s, immune to RF interference and stray current, initiating a detonator at the tube end.
- Type
- Non-electric initiation system
- Tube coating
- Approximately 18 mg per metre of HMX
- Shock propagation speed
- Roughly 2,000 metres per second
- Key advantage
- Immune to radio-frequency interference and stray current
Common questions
Why is a shock-tube system preferred over an electric detonator in some settings?+
Because it carries no electrical current, it cannot be prematurely set off by stray current, static discharge, or nearby radio transmitters, which makes it a safer choice in environments with mobile phones, radios, or electrical hazards near the blast site.
How does the shock travel through the tube without an explosion inside it?+
The thin internal HMX coating propagates a low-energy shock wave along the tube wall rather than detonating the tube itself, and that shock only initiates the sensitive charge in the detonator once it reaches the far end.
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