Innovative design for more accurate blast and shock wave measurements

PCB’s new quartz, free-field, ICP blast pressure pencil probe is a two-sensor pencil blast probe that provides time of arrival and the pressure time wave form for total impulse measurement, all in a single sensor. The Model 137B25 pencil probe is the first of its kind and features an extremely fast micro-second response time, with a resonant frequency greater than 400k Hz. This allows the sensor to be placed in close range to smaller explosive test articles and capture peak pressure, total impulse and shock speed. The probe increases measurement accuracy and expands the series of quartz, free-field ICP blast pressure pencil probes, reducing the need for multiple single-sensor probes. The series is designed for a broad range of explosion, blast, and shock wave testing. Applications include measuring blast pressure in free-field and confined spaces, such as mines, and has been the blast pressure reference method for 50 years. ICP technology features integral microelectronics that provides a high signal-to-noise ratio. The low impedance and 5V output signal is capable of driving long cable runs hundreds of feet in length, to a safe zone for data acquisition, allowing the sensor to operate at frequencies up to 100 kHz with better data quality compared to piezoresistive pressure sensing technology.