Avalanche locker

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Lawin Locker - Marble 125

Lawin Locker is the product name for a mobile or permanently installed pyrotechnic gun-like launcher for the artificial triggering of avalanches by a pyrotechnic active body.

description

The launchers are offered in different designs and throwing distances:

  • mobile version
    • Murmel 125, throwing distances up to 300 meters (backpack version, approx. 25 kg),
    • Big Bear 125/1 for 200 to 700 meters (snow groomer, vehicles),
  • stationary devices:
    • Big Bear 125/2 for 200 to 700 meters,
    • Long distance thrower Grizzly 125/1 for 200 to 1000 meters,

Pyrotechnic projectile

Two types of pyrotechnic active bodies are built: LaLoc Bom and Ballista . The bullets are cylindrical cardboard tubes in which pyrotechnic flame igniters are located. The manufacturer's own mixture of pyrotechnic substances is thrown into the crack area by means of a propellant charge and ignited there by means of a time fuse.

The total active ingredients of the pyrotechnic charge weighs between 1100 and 1300 grams per projectile. All substances contained in it should become harmless on contact with moisture (reduced risk from duds ). Depending on the required range, the bullets can be equipped with rear stabilizers.

The pyrotechnic projectile ignites above, on or below the snow cover and the possible detonation pressure of the pyrotechnic active substance is only fully exhausted if the ignition occurs above 0.5 to 3 meters above the snow cover.

Advantages and disadvantages of the system

The advantages of the system are:

  • that many small avalanche starting areas are served quickly,
  • low construction costs,
  • there is only very little environmental impact required,
  • the relatively low cost of acquisition and per shot.

Disadvantages of the system are:

  • the firing area must be free of people and buildings, as it cannot be ruled out that the firing range was incorrectly calculated or that the projectile does not fly to the planned target due to other circumstances (e.g. wind deflection),
  • the pyrotechnic projectile can be significantly deflected from the target in wind.
  • Due to the lower trigger pressure of active pyrotechnic bodies compared to explosives, avalanches are not always guaranteed,
  • small charges of explosives, which detonate in a thick blanket of snow, usually do not even create a crater and thus do not generate air pressure waves or ground vibrations. The effect is even weaker if the charges do not detonate , but have a more pushing effect when triggered, as is often the case with pyrotechnics.

Operation of the device

The Lawin Locker is operated directly by one person on site. Access to the launch site must be safe from avalanches and provide an escape route. In order to operate the device, national regulations may require training as a pyrotechnician (e.g. in Italy).

The propellant charge is ignited electrically. The cargo is equipped with a RECCO strip for the recovery of failures and is largely biodegradable.

Detection

Whether the detonation and the success of the explosion occurred is recorded with a visual inspection and manual documentation in advance.

See also

Web links

Individual proof

  1. ↑ Product data sheet Lawin Locker (outdated), website: Fluna Tec.
  2. ↑ Christoph Skolaut, Florian Rudolf-Miklau: Current state of knowledge about the use of artificial avalanche triggering in Austria in State of the Art for Artificial Avalanche Triggering , July 2014, p. 23.
  3. ↑ a b c d Lawin Locker System , website: ingmontagna.com (Italian).
  4. ↑ Lukas Stoffel: Comparison of the blasting methods: Gazex, Avalanche Guard / Mast Inauen-Schätti, Wyssen Sprengmast, Lawin Locker , Comparison of methods for artificial avalanche release, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, January 24, 2013.
  5. ↑ Christoph Skolaut, Florian Rudolf-Miklau: Current state of knowledge about the use of artificial avalanche triggering in Austria in State of the Art for Artificial Avalanche Triggering , July 2014.