Fireworks

History

The black Poudre was brought back in Europe to the 13th century by Marco Polo, of her long voyage in China. It in parallel was since then used for the war and the festivals. Until the 19th century and the advent of modern chemistry, the fireworks were mainly yellow or white. In France, first true fire was drawn on the Place from the Vosges, with Paris, then Royal Place , for the marriage of Anne of Austria with Louis XIII.

Principles of the fireworks

The fireworks make noise when they explode, but it is mainly their light and their movement which make them so attractive. The basic principle of the fireworks rests on combustion pyrotechnics, derived from the original blasting powder containing a compound oxidizing - Nitrate, Chlorate, Perchlorate - which releases from oxygen and a reducing compound - sulfur and carbon mix some with metals like the Silicium, the Bore, the Magnésium and the Titane - which is used as Combustible.

There is first of all the incandescence of the particles of Metallic oxide, formed during the combustion, whose incandescence goes from the red white (in the neighborhoods of 1000°C) to the white dazzling (towards 3000°C). This explosion brings up to high temperature the metal compounds which give the colors.

The technique related to the fireworks is called the Pyrotechnie .

The Pyrotechnicien S each time create a Mise in scene of Couleur S and rate/rhythm, with sometimes of the music, a topic, or the creation of a Paysage of fire. One adds sometimes jets of water or Bengal lights.

The form

There exist several kinds of parts pyrotechnics, each one producing an effect which depends on the composition or the structure of the explosive. The bombs, bouquets, flashovers, cascades, suns or the final bouquet, all are built starting from the same principle.

The parts either are propelled - rocket S, with the provision of the amateurs - or launched by a mortar - rather reserved to the professionals.

The most popular part is the bends . It consists of a powder load to propel it (Hunting) and of an ignition system to delayed-action (the espolette) and powder balls (stars). The provision of stars around the lighter produces effects different giving from the peonies, the palm trees, chestnuts of air and even from the weeping willows. Today, so that the bombs are spread out even more in the sky, the spacers are reinforced with an explosive load, thus expelling stars on a ray much larger. There exist also bombs on several floors having each one their star and propulsion bay. The explosion of each compartment lights the device with delayed-action of the following compartment, giving several successive explosions.

The chestnut of air generally opens the spectacle. It produces especially a very strong noise of explosion.

Alternative of the bomb, the comet, propelled using a mortar, produces an incandescent trail throughout its trajectory.

Colors

According to the contents of the mixture:

Competitions

There exist several international competitions:

Festivals of Geneva : In front of a little less than 2 million spectators, the large fire of the Festivals of Geneva east one of largest fires pyromelodic of the world, it is held each year around on August 10th and encloses the Festivals of Geneva. It is drawn in the Roads from Geneva (on the lake, since several rafts) which is one of the most beautiful roads in the world, a single spectacle. Since always, fire is a contest between bomb disposal experts or country, in particular the house Italian " Soldi" or the house " Pyrotechnic" from Geneva.
the International one of Fires Lotto-Quebec (Montreal, Quebec, Canada): The most important contest with 2.9 million spectators annually;
Large Fires Lotto-Quebec (Quebec, Quebec, Canada);
World Pyro Olympics : Itinerant competition. The first edition was held in December 2005 with the Filipino . The second edition should be also held in December 2006 to with it.

Risk S, Danger S, Pollution S, precaution S

Fires of artifices are comparable to explosives. Accidents sometimes mortals are regularly announced, as well as Incendie S of forests or damage on buildings or trucks, trains or ships or storage facilities of fireworks. For example on March 22nd, 2006, the Porte-conteneur S Korean Hyundai Fortune had to be evacuated after a fire opposite the Yemen in the Golfe of Aden. Some filled up containers of fires of artifices exploded following an accidental fire, producing a breach of 12 meters in the hull and expelling other containers with the sea.
fires of artifices contain also many classified products Toxique S and/or Polluant drawn S. Souvent close to water, their smoke could have impacts on the health of the spectators and the ecosystems, although there do not seem to have been studies pushed on this assumption, but of the indices are brought by the stations of alarm and measurement of air pollution. For example, one of the three stronger time concentrations (the record) of fine particles (PM) measured with Montreal by the RSQA (162 µg/m3) corresponded to one evening of the summer 2002, where (with 22:00) the blowing wind in an unusual direction pushed the smoke of fireworks drawn on the island Sainte-Hélène towards a measuring site from the air pollution located at the East of Montreal. Some fear that shootings repeated on the same sites do not end up contaminating the grounds or aquatic environments. Hafner Rudolf has in December 1989 in Switzerland deposited a '' motion '' before the Parliament, recalling that Certains components of the fireworks belongs to the classes of toxicity 2 and 3 and pollutes the air and the ground and asking studies and more precaution or of regulation in particular for the uses of small fireworks by the general public.
Les fireworks is as at the origin of noise pollutions while being used more and more by private individuals on other occasions as the great national festivals.

Statutory texts (in France)

Recall of the principal statutory texts concerning the shooting of fires of artifices:

Decree n°90-897 of the bearing October 1st, 1990 on the regulation of the artifices of entertainment. It classifies the fireworks in four categories:

Group K1 : artifices which present only one tiny risk,
Groupe K2 : artifices whose implementation, either separately, or in the form of fireworks when they can be implemented in this form, requires only the respect of some simple precautions described in a note of employment,
Groupe K3 : artifices whose implementation, either separately, or in the form of parts or of fireworks, can be carried out without risk by people not having the certificate of qualification planned for the artifices of the K4 group, in the condition which are respected the regulations fixed in directions for use,
Groupe K4 : artifices whose implementation, either separately, or in the form of parts or of fireworks, can be carried out only by people having the certificate of qualification envisaged in article 16, or under direct control people having this certificate,
Seuls the artifices of the group K1 can be bought by minors;

Ministerial decree of December 27th, 1990 relating to the qualification of the people for the implementation of the artifices of entertainment of the K4 group;
Ministerial decree of January 16th, 1992 modifying the decree of December 27th, 1990;
Ministerial decree of March 25th, 1992 relating to the temporary storage of parts and fires of artifices for a shooting near the place of this shooting;
Circular n° 86-1 565 of the ministry for the Interior.

Authorizations necessary (in France)

For a fireworks containing only products K1, K2 or K3 and of which the quantity of active matter is lower than 35 kg:

the person who implements it must be major,
And if the shooting proceeds elsewhere than on your property: to ask the authorization to the owner of the ground.
If the ground is municipal, it is necessary to require the agreement of the Town hall seized in its quality of owner and not as a municipal authorization which it is obligatory only for the fireworks of K4 class.

For a fireworks containing at least a K4 product or more than 35 kg of active matter:

Declaration at least 15 days front with the Prefecture of the department;

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