re liquid
or gelled with a gelling agent such as silicon dioxide,
particulate carbon or aluminum octoate.

3 Claims, No Drawings

GELLED FUEL-AIR EXPLOSIVE METHOD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention 5

This invention relates to fuels for fuel air explosive
weapons. More particularly, this invention relates to a
method for causing an explosion comprising the steps of
dispersing a cloud of liquid fuel in the air and detonating
the cloud wherein the cloud is composed of particles of 10
gelled or ungelled 1,2-butylene oxide.

1. Description of the Prior Art

Fuel air explosive weapons are now well known. A
typical example of one is depicted in U.S. Pat. No.
3,955,509 which was issued to Gary A. Carlson on May 15
11, 1976.

Fuel air explosive weapons may be described as devices
which, upon activation, cause liquid fuel particles
to be dispersed in the form of a detonable cloud in the
air and then detonate the cloud. 20

A number of fuels have been used in fuel air explosive
weapons. Among these are ethylene oxide and propylene
oxide. Because of the ease with which is cloud of
ethylene oxide or propylene oxide can be detonated,
these two materials are the most commonly used. However, 25
these fuels have certain drawbacks.

One drawback, common to both ethylene oxide and propylene
oxide, is toxicity. Both materials are highly toxic. A
concentration of 50 parts per million of ethylene oxide 30
in the air may have harmful effects on one breathing the
air for about 8 hours. Propylene oxide is less toxic than
ethylene oxide but is still highly toxic. A concentration
of 100 parts per million of propylene oxide breathed for
about 8 hours may have undesirable effects. Naturally,
when fuel air explosive devices are stored in a confined 35
area such as aboard a ship, exposure for 8 hours is not
unusual.

Another drawback common to ethylene oxide and propylene
oxide is the fact that both have relatively low boiling 40
points, 10.4 deg. C. and 34.2 deg. C. respectively. This makes
the two difficult to handle in loading operations.
High vapor pressures also contribute to difficulty in
handling.

A drawback particu