Category:Original articles

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke ABSTRACT: Rarely is there only one mitigation strategy to reduce the level of hazard posed by a problem. This concept is explored in the context of alternate strategies for limiting the potential problem posed by fireworks mortar bursts within troughs and drums. This begins with a discussion of the …
Continue reading Mortar Separations in Troughs and Drums

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke ABSTRACT: Sticky Match® is an expedient and reportedly effective type of fuse, especially useful in fusing lance set pieces. However, some users have mentioned an apparent tendency for the fuse to burn noticeably slower at low temperatures. The authors conducted a brief investigation of Sticky Match burn rate as …
Continue reading Sticky Match and Quick Match: Temperature Dependent Burn Times

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke For maximum effectiveness of tightly choreographed fireworks displays, it is important that shell bursts occur very near their intended times. Two main sources of variation combine to affect the overall precision of the shell bursts. First is the preciseness of the shell firings; second is the preciseness of the …
Continue reading Firing Precision for Choreographed Displays

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke ABSTRACT: Internal mortar pressures were measured for a range of somewhat typical fireworks aerial shell firing conditions. These data were used to determine the peak shell accelerations produced during firing. Under the conditions investigated, peak aerial shell acceleration ranged from approximately 4 to 16 km/s2 (400 to 1600 times …
Continue reading Peak In-Mortar Aerial Shell Accelerations

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke There is a new style of black match used to make the quick match leader fuse on some Chinese products. The fuse has recently been found on some Flower Basket aerial shells and Lidu display fireworks boxes and may also be used on other items as well. While this …
Continue reading CAUTION: Very Fast “Black Match”

K. L. & B. J. Kosanke* and F. Ryan ABSTRACT: A sample of Black Powder dating to the time of the US Civil War (ca. 1863) was harvested from cannon balls uncovered during an excavation on what had previously been the grounds of the Allegheny Arsenal near Pittsburgh, PA. A portion of this powder was …
Continue reading Performance Study of Civil War Vintage Black Powderious

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke The previous article on this topic[1] discussed the general process by which one performs a risk assessment and then applied it to two fireworks display scenarios. One scenario had mortars of the same size together in groups, with each group located at their pre-1990 minimum National Fire Protection Association …
Continue reading Dud Shell Risk Assessment: Mortar Placement

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke There are potential hazards and some level of risk resulting from those hazards associated with all human activities. When the risks are below an acceptable level, those activities are generally considered safe. The hard part is not the estimation of risks; there are relatively simple methods to estimate risk. …
Continue reading Dud Shell Risk Assessment: NFPA Distances

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke ABSTRACT: If a pyrotechnic item fails to ignite when intended, it is a failure. It makes no difference that had it ignited; it would have produced a spectacular display or a life-saving distress signal. Primes and priming techniques are important in producing high quality pyrotechnic effects, because it is …
Continue reading Pyrotechnic Primes and Priming

K. L. and B. J. Kosanke ABSTRACT: Several factors affect the burning of quick match. A brief study was conducted to determine the general magnitude of the effects produced by those factors, singly and in combination. For high quality quick match, under the conditions of these tests, it was determined that tight string ties, damage …
Continue reading Quick Match — A Review and Study