Abstract
The burning interruption between the initiator and the delay column in a Zr-Ni K1 delay system used for a K510 fuze occurs with long-time storage. About 10 % failure probability of 15-years stored delay systems shows the failure mode in open literature. This paper shows storage lifetime improvement results for the delay system through changing the single-base delay column into double-base ones and controlling the manufacturing processes especially the initial inclusion of humidity. The double-base delay columns was implemented by inserting one delay column of fast burning rates between the initiator and the previous delay column of slow burning rates. Accelerated aging tests of the delay systems with double-base columns, and then the firing tests were performed to evaluate the improved lifetime. The double-base delay columns shows improved storage lifetime of the delay system through preventing the failure mode.
