[Vehicles] Gunpowder Engines and Stirling Engines

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

F

But you repeat yourself. Fuel air explosives are thermobarics,

Gurps HT does not use the terms interchangeably. In fact they are 2 separate lines (and even 2 separate TLs) on the explosives table on p.183.

I believe the explosive mixing you describe is more characteristic of what HT names "thermobarics". The experimental FAE bombs used by the USAF in vietnam (thus making them TL7) first released pressurized ethylene oxide gas and then igniting it when it was supposed to have achieved an optimum stochiometric ratio.

To my knowledge these weapons proved to be finicky about detonating as is the case with accidentally occurring fuel air explosions seen in grain siols, coal bunkers and other places.

The more modern thermobarics as seen in the MOAB don't seem to be finicky and I think most of the energy comes from powdered aluminum though I could see the easier to ignite magnesium being used in the detonator.