UC team develops safer and environmentally friendly pyrotechnic igniter

English version: Diana Taborda

A research team from the Department of Mechanical Engineering (DEM) of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC) is developing a safer and more sustainable igniter for pyrotechnic articles, in the scope of the project “FreePyro”.

The project results are rather promising, and the DEM researchers have already designed and successfully tested a prototype, activated by a firing system also created by the team. The new product can be used as an igniter for different kinds of pyrotechnic components.

According to Ricardo Mendes, the FCTUC project coordinator, the goal is “to develop a more sustainable and safer igniter that does not contain hazardous or explosive substances, and that can be handled safely. Most conventional igniters contain lead or mercury, which have a negative impact on the environment and are also considered dangerous, due to the high risk in their handling and use”.

Mendes adds that the major difference in this product formulation is that “even in a large-scale ignition, it does not cause an explosion, because it does not produce gases. Therefore, in case of fire, there will never be an explosion. On the other hand, the use of conventional igniters, which contain substances that generate high temperatures, as well as gases, can result in explosions that may cause significant damage".

Although the goal has been achieved and the concept has been proved, "the project -which ends this year - needs to be continued, because this new igniter will require more energy from the pyrotechnic initiation systems, i.e., a firing system compatible with this igniter should also be developed", says Joana Quaresma, researcher at the Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (ADAI - FCTUC).

According to the research team, this new product will have environmental, safety and economic advantages as "it contains substances with less environmental impact, it can be reused; its usage, storage and transportation will be safer, and it may also prevent imports of this type of products in the future".

The project “FreePyro-Igniter - Research and development of an electrothermal igniter free from pyrotechnics” is funded by the Portugal 2020 programme and has the participation of five researchers from DEM-FCTUC, Ricardo Mendes, Joana Quaresma, José Carlos Góis, Bianca Sterbling and João Pimenta, who are also affiliated to ADAI and the Laboratory of Energetics and Detonics (LEDAP).