Liquid desensitized, electrically activated detonator assembly resistant to actuation by radio-frequency and electrostatic energies
AssigneeICI Americas Inc.
InventorJoseph A. F. Barrett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved electrically actuated detonator for use in oil well perforation guns is described wherein a hermetically sealed donor explosive propels a plate through a barrel cavity into a vented open space to initiate an acceptor explosive. If the open space fills with liquid the detonator fails to operate. The detonator is also resistant to actuation by radio-frequency and electrostatic energy.
Claims6
An electrically activated detonator assembly for use in perforation guns which fails to detonate when immersed in liquids which comprises an elongated cylindrical outer sleeve having centrally located therein a hermetically sealed donor explosive initiator means held within a first container to propel a sheared plate in its original planar configuration through said first container longitudinally within the bore of said sleeve to strike an acceptor explosive hermetically sealed within a second container fixed at a point within said sleeve and separated from said initiator means by an open space, said outer sleeve having at least two opposing elongated vent openings located adjacent said open space having a length and a width wherein said length is at least equivalent to the distance separating said first container from said second container to provide a continuous opening in the outer sleeve between said containers, the width of said vent openings being sufficient to admit passage of liquid into and completely fill said open space when fully immersed in liquid, whereby when said assembly is electrically activated and said open space is filled with liquid neither the force of the plate striking said acceptor explosive nor the shock wave created therein is sufficient to detonate said acceptor explosive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.