Nitrogen accumulator airbag explosion

Why is nitrogen gas used in airbags?

Airbags do not use nitrogen gas deliberately. Instead, the air in the airbag is mostly made up of nitrogen gas. So, why is nitrogen used in airbags? This is a common misconception. Airbag systems do not specifically fill the airbags with nitrogen gas.

How do airbags inflate?

His ingenuous idea was to use a gas-generating chemical explosion to inflate airbags. The first widespread deployment systems used sodium azide to inflate airbags. A sensor triggers a device that ignites the sodium azide, producing nitrogen gas and sodium metal.

How does an airbag explode?

It is initiated by a controlled explosion inside an inflator setting off a chemical reaction that forms nitrogen gas that rapidly expands the airbag, propelling it toward your head at speeds up to 200 mph, all within 20 to 30 milliseconds. That’s the kind of violence needed to dissipate the energy being created by a car involved in a crash.

Why did Takata air bags explode?

Takata used the volatile chemical ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to quickly fill the air bags in a crash. But over the years the chemical can deteriorate, especially when exposed to high heat and humidity. It can burn too fast and blow apart a metal canister that’s supposed to contain the explosion, hurling metal fragments.

How long does it take for airbags to explode?

All that generally happens within 8 to 40 milliseconds of the initial impact. Manufacturers use different chemical stews to fill their airbags. Sodium azide, the original preferred chemical, has been superseded by less toxic gas-generating material. The solid chemical mix is held in what is basically a small tray.

Why do airbag makers add sodium nitrate & silicon dioxide?

Airbag makers also added potassium nitrate and silicon dioxide to react with the resulting sodium metal. That reaction produces potassium silicate and sodium silicate, both of which stop the sodium from reacting with moisture in the air to form corrosive sodium hydroxide.