Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Aerial Fireworks
An aerial firework is normally formed as a shell that consists of four parts:
Container - Usually pasted paper and string formed into a cylinder
Stars - Spheres, cubes or cylinders of a sparkler-like composition
Bursting charge - Firecracker-like charge at the center of the shell
Fuse - Provides a time delay so the shell explodes at the right altitude
Located just below the shell is a small cylinder that contains the lifting charge.
These are small shells, about the size of a peach, that you can buy at roadside stands in some states. The sphere is the shell, and the small cylinder below is the lifting charge that shoots it out of the launch tube. The green fuse lights the lifting charge, which in turn lights the shell's fuse. Shells that you see at a show are typically the size of a cantaloupe or even larger.
The shell is launched from a mortar. The mortar might be a short, steel pipe with a lifting charge of black powder that explodes in the pipe to launch the shell. When the lifting charge fires to launch the shell, it lights the shell's fuse. The shell's fuse burns while the shell rises to its correct altitude, and then ignites the bursting charge so it explodes.
Simple shells consist of a paper tube filled with stars and black powder. Stars come in all shapes and sizes, but you can imagine a simple star as something like sparkler compound formed into a ball the size of a pea or a dime. The stars are poured into the tube and then surrounded by black powder. When the fuse burns into the shell, it ignites the bursting charge, causing the shell to explode. The explosion ignites the outside of the stars, which begin to burn with bright showers of sparks. Since the explosion throws the stars in all directions, you get the huge sphere of sparkling light that is so familiar at fireworks displays.
Multibreak ShellsMore complicated shells burst in two or three phases. Shells like this are called multibreak shells. They may contain stars of different colors and compositions to create softer or brighter light, more or less sparks, etc. Some shells contain explosives designed to crackle in the sky, or whistles that explode outward with the stars.
Multibreak shells may consist of a shell filled with other shells, or they may have multiple sections without using additional shells. The sections of a multibreak shell are ignited by different fuses. The bursting of one section ignites the next. The shells must be assembled in such a way that each section explodes in sequence to produce a distinct separate effect. The explosives that break the sections apart are called break charges.
Next, we'll look at how fireworks explode in various patterns during a display.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Footprint Fireworks Were Faked into Olympics Opening TV Show
A local Beijing paper has revealed that some of the amazing fireworks in the Olympics opening show were digitally-crafted fakes, inserted into the live TV feed. The Beijing Times quotes the head of visual effects, who says that the 28 giant footprints that stomped through the air above the city, ending at the stadium, were advanced CGI. Though the pyrotechnics really were set off, the airborne camera view that the rest of the world watched was fake. Why go to these lengths? Apparently the Olympic committee decided that to follow the real trail of firework footprints was too dangerous for a helicopter camera. Instead a team spent almost a year crafting the fake segment, paying attention to even get the smog lighting effects correct.
China bans fireworks in clubs after deadly fire
Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:31pm BST
BEIJING (Reuters) - China banned on Tuesday fireworks displays in public entertainment venues, just days after 43 young revellers were killed in a fire at an illegal dance hall.
The fire in Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong, broke out just before midnight last Saturday at the packed King of the Dancers club, sparked by a fireworks display.
"Any type of fireworks is banned in public entertainment places," State Council's Work Safety Committee said in an announcement, pointing to Saturday's fire as an example.
The announcement also required local governments to improve the safety of such venues and to shut down those that do not meet the stricter standards.
(Reporting by Yu Le; Editing by Kirby Chien and Valerie Lee.)
BEIJING (Reuters) - China banned on Tuesday fireworks displays in public entertainment venues, just days after 43 young revellers were killed in a fire at an illegal dance hall.
The fire in Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong, broke out just before midnight last Saturday at the packed King of the Dancers club, sparked by a fireworks display.
"Any type of fireworks is banned in public entertainment places," State Council's Work Safety Committee said in an announcement, pointing to Saturday's fire as an example.
The announcement also required local governments to improve the safety of such venues and to shut down those that do not meet the stricter standards.
(Reporting by Yu Le; Editing by Kirby Chien and Valerie Lee.)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
China faked footprints of fire coverage in Olympics opening ceremony
Was it real? Was it faked? Does it matter? Chinese netizens are debating the computer simulated special effects used for one of high points of the Olympic opening ceremony, the footprints of fire that "stepped" from Tiananmen Square to the Bird's Nest stadium.
Although the procession of fireworks actually took place, it was deemed too difficult and dangerous to film, so billions of viewers were treated instead to a computer-generated film of what it might look like.
Many of those watching were unaware that the effect was expensively "faked" until the Beijing Times reported the following day that only the last of the 29 footprints was actually filmed during the live broadcast.
The newspaper revealed that Crystal Stone - a local production company - had spent almost a year creating the 55-second sequence for the other 28 steps, including efforts to capture the slight shake of a camera on a helicopter and the blurring effect of haze.
Olympic organisers said the decision was necessary for safety reasons, because a helicopter might have been vulnerable to all the fireworks let off that night and it would have been hard to capture the entire route from a single location.
Gao Xiaolong, the head of the visual effects team for the ceremony, told the paper that the final result was not perfect, but achieved the desired effect: "Most of the audience thought it was filmed live - so that was mission accomplished."
On the many online forums about the ceremony and its significance, most Chinese netizens defended the decision to use the simulated sequence. "Although the 3-D production has a different feeling from live filming, we should support the Olympics by taking the authorities at their word and not arguing," said a post by Xin Shuibin on a Baidu discussion site.
Others said it was disappointing but the decision to use computer-generated images was justifiable. "If it had been live, the helicopters would have been in great danger if they flow over the fireworks. They might have crashed," said a commentator who gave the name Waltzer.
Overall, the show was well received, although much of the online opinion on the mainland was more critical than that found among the mainstream media overseas. As has been the case for several of his recent films, the ceremony's director, Zhang Yimou, was lambasted by many for producing a show that was strong on style but weak on content.
Rather than demonstrate real antipathy, however, such criticism may reveal the huge expectations for the landmark event and the high standards to which its director is always held.
Although the procession of fireworks actually took place, it was deemed too difficult and dangerous to film, so billions of viewers were treated instead to a computer-generated film of what it might look like.
Many of those watching were unaware that the effect was expensively "faked" until the Beijing Times reported the following day that only the last of the 29 footprints was actually filmed during the live broadcast.
The newspaper revealed that Crystal Stone - a local production company - had spent almost a year creating the 55-second sequence for the other 28 steps, including efforts to capture the slight shake of a camera on a helicopter and the blurring effect of haze.
Olympic organisers said the decision was necessary for safety reasons, because a helicopter might have been vulnerable to all the fireworks let off that night and it would have been hard to capture the entire route from a single location.
Gao Xiaolong, the head of the visual effects team for the ceremony, told the paper that the final result was not perfect, but achieved the desired effect: "Most of the audience thought it was filmed live - so that was mission accomplished."
On the many online forums about the ceremony and its significance, most Chinese netizens defended the decision to use the simulated sequence. "Although the 3-D production has a different feeling from live filming, we should support the Olympics by taking the authorities at their word and not arguing," said a post by Xin Shuibin on a Baidu discussion site.
Others said it was disappointing but the decision to use computer-generated images was justifiable. "If it had been live, the helicopters would have been in great danger if they flow over the fireworks. They might have crashed," said a commentator who gave the name Waltzer.
Overall, the show was well received, although much of the online opinion on the mainland was more critical than that found among the mainstream media overseas. As has been the case for several of his recent films, the ceremony's director, Zhang Yimou, was lambasted by many for producing a show that was strong on style but weak on content.
Rather than demonstrate real antipathy, however, such criticism may reveal the huge expectations for the landmark event and the high standards to which its director is always held.
Independence Day may go with less of a bang after accident in China
Sparkles, fizzles and bangs at celebrations such as US Independence Day and Guy Fawkes Night are under threat from a spectacular explosion at a fireworks warehouse in China, which has raised concerns over safety and clogged exports.
China supplies three-quarters of the world's fireworks. But a massive blast destroyed 15,000 cartons of pyrotechnics in southern China in February, leaving US vendors struggling to get their hands on sufficient supplies for this year's July 4 celebrations.
Concerned about safety, the Chinese authorities limited the flow of professional-grade fireworks to a mere handful of ports. Compounding the shortage, an embargo on the movement of explosives before the Beijing Olympics has complicated Britain's efforts to stock up for this November's Bonfire Night.
"I do suspect there will be a shortage of display fireworks," said John Woodhead, chairman of the British Fireworks Association. He expects large-scale professional displays to be hit worse than everyday back-garden fireworks.
Difficulties date back to an explosion in the city of Foshan, near Guangzhou, causing a blaze that spread to 20 warehouses and continued for 30 hours in February. More than a thousand local residents had to be evacuated.
The accident, which left four people injured, came at a critical time for US customers who want fireworks for Independence Day. This has prompted the US government to make representations to its Chinese counterparts.
Bob Richard, deputy associate administrator at the US department of transportation, told the New York Times that his department was urging the use of more ports. Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, estimates that Chinese exports of consumer fireworks are down by 35% this year, while the supply of fireworks for professional displays has dropped by 40%. She said the close-knit industry was clubbing together to ensure that everybody has a share of supplies.
Andy Hubble, chairman of the British Pyrotechnists' Association, said the shortfall in the US would "most likely be mirrored" in Britain.
China supplies three-quarters of the world's fireworks. But a massive blast destroyed 15,000 cartons of pyrotechnics in southern China in February, leaving US vendors struggling to get their hands on sufficient supplies for this year's July 4 celebrations.
Concerned about safety, the Chinese authorities limited the flow of professional-grade fireworks to a mere handful of ports. Compounding the shortage, an embargo on the movement of explosives before the Beijing Olympics has complicated Britain's efforts to stock up for this November's Bonfire Night.
"I do suspect there will be a shortage of display fireworks," said John Woodhead, chairman of the British Fireworks Association. He expects large-scale professional displays to be hit worse than everyday back-garden fireworks.
Difficulties date back to an explosion in the city of Foshan, near Guangzhou, causing a blaze that spread to 20 warehouses and continued for 30 hours in February. More than a thousand local residents had to be evacuated.
The accident, which left four people injured, came at a critical time for US customers who want fireworks for Independence Day. This has prompted the US government to make representations to its Chinese counterparts.
Bob Richard, deputy associate administrator at the US department of transportation, told the New York Times that his department was urging the use of more ports. Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, estimates that Chinese exports of consumer fireworks are down by 35% this year, while the supply of fireworks for professional displays has dropped by 40%. She said the close-knit industry was clubbing together to ensure that everybody has a share of supplies.
Andy Hubble, chairman of the British Pyrotechnists' Association, said the shortfall in the US would "most likely be mirrored" in Britain.
Shipping woes cut down Chinese fireworks exports to the U.S.
LIUYANG, China -- Chen Tiezhong will likely spend the Fourth of July -- America's Independence Day -
- worrying about the future of his sprawling fireworks factory. China, where fireworks were invented, is running short of ports from which to ship the dangerous cargoes abroad.
The day is a great occasion for fireworks across the U.S., and China's fireworks industry meets 98 percent of America's overall needs, and 80 percent of the pyrotechnics needed for professional displays. But the U.S. fireworks business stands to lose US$25 million to US$30 million this year because of lost orders, says Julie Heckman, executive director for the American Pyrotechnics Association.
A Missouri firm says it backed out of some shows because of the shortage. Meanwhile, some Chinese factories are being pushed close to bankruptcy.
"Our factory will be forced to close, whether we want it or not," said Chen Tiezhong at his sprawling 500-employee operation in Liuyang in central Hunan province.
His factory is one of 900 around this small city that is known as China's fireworks capital. A traffic circle features a massive metal sculpture of rockets soaring and bursting into flower-like shapes. The Chinese word for fireworks is "yanhua" or "smoke flowers."
Most of the factories are far from town, tucked safely away among the farms in surrounding hills and valleys.
Chen rattles off a litany of woes: micro-thin profit margins, rising labor costs and soaring prices for raw materials.
Now, the closure of some Chinese ports to fireworks may be the final straw.
In February, a blast at a fireworks warehouse led to a ban on fireworks shipments at the southern port of Sanshui, Guangdong province, which previously handled 20 percent of China's pyrotechnic exports.
Then, in late March, officials stopped fireworks shipments at Nanshan, another Guangdong port, after inspectors found explosives that had been declared as something else.
Guangdong may not allow fireworks shipments to resume, because the province is trying to shift its economy to more sophisticated goods.
Adding to the industry's woes, China has ordered major ports such as Shanghai and Hong Kong to suspend shipments of explosives as part of tightened security ahead of August's Beijing Olympics.
"It's been extremely difficult," Chen said. "There is simply no way out even if we're willing to pay 10,000 yuan (more than US$1,400) extra for each container."
In China, 30 to 40 percent of fireworks for overseas customers have not shipped, forcing many of the country's 7,000 factories to curtail or even stop taking overseas orders, said Liu Donghui, the secretary-general of China-based International Fireworks Association.
On the U.S. end, 10 percent to 15 percent of orders didn't show up, said Heckman.
China ordinarily sends 9,000 shipping containers of fireworks a year to the U.S., she said, and the shortfall "is by far the most difficult challenge the U.S. fireworks industry has had to face."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Fireworks Music Candle
When you light the center of the fireworks music candle with a wooden stick, a flame appears that lights up the candle on the leaves in a sparkling fashion. In addition to this, it plays a Happy Birthday songSaturday, February 16, 2008
Feb 14,China Shanshui Warehouse explosive
GUANGZHOU, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Firefighters in south China's Guangdong Province began to clear up the debris as explosions caused by fireworks stored in 20 warehouses in Foshan City waned on Friday.
Five people, including four warehouse guards, were questioned by police in connection with the incident, said a spokesman for Foshan's Sanshui District Communist Party of China (CPC) committee.
The State Administration of Work Safety has sent two commissioners and an expert to Sanshui to investigate.
Zhou Wei, a warehouse worker, told Xinhua the buildings have been used to store nothing other than fireworks since 2003, and electricity was never used for safety purposes. Experts said weather conditions and arson were possible causes for the explosions.
The blasts started around 3:30 a.m. on Thursday at the No. 7 building of the Yuetong Warehouse and Transport Co., a private firm based in Sanshui on the northern bank of the Pearl River. The explosions lasted more than 30 hours and also set a neighboring woods on fire, a Foshan government official said.
Only two people suffered slight bruises from broken glasses
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Thursday, November 02, 2006
A Radical opinion
Boycott Chinese fireworks
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: August 6, 2001
1:00 a.m. Eastern
WASHINGTON — Ten-year-old Zhang Yanhong knew that if she refused her teacher's orders, she could be forced to pay a fine or kneel on the classroom floor for hours. So the girl obeyed her teacher – and paid with her life.
What were the teacher's orders? To manufacture fireworks – fireworks that exploded, killing 42 people, most of them 3rd- and 4th-graders.
Last month I announced my campaign to boycott Chinese fireworks for celebrations next July 4.
Since then, I've learned the idea is better and more needed than ever.
It turns out Chinese fireworks made by forced child labor have come under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, according to Carl Olson, chairman of State Department Watch, a foreign policy watchdog group based in Washington.
The massive use of Chinese schoolchildren in the manufacturing of fireworks destined for the United States and, ironically, patriotic celebrations of freedom and justice, came to light following the explosion that killed 42 at the elementary school in Jiangxi province.
The children were tasked with daily producing 1,000 firecrackers each and the money from the business went to school officials.
The government blamed the horror on a lone madman. But relatives of the children complained for three years about school officials forcing their children to assemble fireworks during and after school.
State Department Watch brought the incident to the attention of the Labor Department.
Purchases by the federal government of goods made by forced child labor were banned earlier this year. The Department of Labor is responsible for identifying offending countries and products. To date the list includes only 11 products from two countries – Burma and Pakistan.
"This terrible abuse of schoolchildren cannot be permitted to continue," said Olson. "The federal government and the rest of the nation must refuse to support such forced labor."
Widespread use of schools for forced labor in China was described in the New China News Agency last year. According to a Los Angeles Times report from last March, 91 percent, or about 620,000, of China's secondary schools have some business run by the government officials, yielding $15 billion – nearly equal to the central government's entire education budget.
What does all this have to do with July 4 and fireworks in the United States?
Every year – at least in areas where selling fireworks is still legal – groups like churches, service clubs, schools, etc. raise money by selling fireworks to the public.
In 2001 for instance, fireworks sales totaled an estimated $650 million, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.
So what's wrong with selling fireworks? Am I worried about accidents?
Actually, no. In fact, while sales of fireworks are way up, fireworks-related injuries are way down – falling over 86 percent in the last 24 years.
No, my concern about all the fireworks sales in America is centered around where those pyrotechnic devices are manufactured – in China.
How can this nation celebrate its independence every year by supporting the evil empire in Beijing?
Every single fireworks package I see – at least those available to ordinary consumers – is marked "made in China." While there may be alternatives, I have never seen any.
So I want to set off some rhetorical fireworks here while we still have time to prepare for July 4, 2002. Let's boycott Chinese fireworks. Let's say no to distributing Chinese-made fireworks in the U.S. Let's celebrate Independence Day by supporting independence and freedom throughout the world – including China.
By the way, don't count on the Labor Department to do the right thing on this fireworks issue. Let's remember who is in charge as secretary – Elaine Chao, noted for her cozy ties to the Beijing leadership.
If you want to sound off in protest of the child labor in China, Olson advises the point of contact is: Maureen Jaffe, acting director, International Child Labor Program, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2431, Washington, DC 20210.
But I think it's time to take matters into our own hands. Don't wait for the government to act. Maybe it's not a big step – a dramatic step – but I think it's time to start reclaiming our national soul. A good first step would be for charitable organizations across America to swear off the sales of Chinese-made fireworks next summer.
Are you with me? If so, I'll keep hammering away at this theme and reminding you of the latest developments through next Independence Day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Related offer:
"The China Threat," Bill Gertz's book about how People's Republic targets America, is available in WorldNetDaily's online store.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Farah is founder, editor and CEO of WND and a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate. His latest book is "Taking America Back." He also edits the weekly online intelligence newsletter Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, in which he utilizes his sources developed over 30 years in the news business.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: August 6, 2001
1:00 a.m. Eastern
WASHINGTON — Ten-year-old Zhang Yanhong knew that if she refused her teacher's orders, she could be forced to pay a fine or kneel on the classroom floor for hours. So the girl obeyed her teacher – and paid with her life.
What were the teacher's orders? To manufacture fireworks – fireworks that exploded, killing 42 people, most of them 3rd- and 4th-graders.
Last month I announced my campaign to boycott Chinese fireworks for celebrations next July 4.
Since then, I've learned the idea is better and more needed than ever.
It turns out Chinese fireworks made by forced child labor have come under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor, according to Carl Olson, chairman of State Department Watch, a foreign policy watchdog group based in Washington.
The massive use of Chinese schoolchildren in the manufacturing of fireworks destined for the United States and, ironically, patriotic celebrations of freedom and justice, came to light following the explosion that killed 42 at the elementary school in Jiangxi province.
The children were tasked with daily producing 1,000 firecrackers each and the money from the business went to school officials.
The government blamed the horror on a lone madman. But relatives of the children complained for three years about school officials forcing their children to assemble fireworks during and after school.
State Department Watch brought the incident to the attention of the Labor Department.
Purchases by the federal government of goods made by forced child labor were banned earlier this year. The Department of Labor is responsible for identifying offending countries and products. To date the list includes only 11 products from two countries – Burma and Pakistan.
"This terrible abuse of schoolchildren cannot be permitted to continue," said Olson. "The federal government and the rest of the nation must refuse to support such forced labor."
Widespread use of schools for forced labor in China was described in the New China News Agency last year. According to a Los Angeles Times report from last March, 91 percent, or about 620,000, of China's secondary schools have some business run by the government officials, yielding $15 billion – nearly equal to the central government's entire education budget.
What does all this have to do with July 4 and fireworks in the United States?
Every year – at least in areas where selling fireworks is still legal – groups like churches, service clubs, schools, etc. raise money by selling fireworks to the public.
In 2001 for instance, fireworks sales totaled an estimated $650 million, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.
So what's wrong with selling fireworks? Am I worried about accidents?
Actually, no. In fact, while sales of fireworks are way up, fireworks-related injuries are way down – falling over 86 percent in the last 24 years.
No, my concern about all the fireworks sales in America is centered around where those pyrotechnic devices are manufactured – in China.
How can this nation celebrate its independence every year by supporting the evil empire in Beijing?
Every single fireworks package I see – at least those available to ordinary consumers – is marked "made in China." While there may be alternatives, I have never seen any.
So I want to set off some rhetorical fireworks here while we still have time to prepare for July 4, 2002. Let's boycott Chinese fireworks. Let's say no to distributing Chinese-made fireworks in the U.S. Let's celebrate Independence Day by supporting independence and freedom throughout the world – including China.
By the way, don't count on the Labor Department to do the right thing on this fireworks issue. Let's remember who is in charge as secretary – Elaine Chao, noted for her cozy ties to the Beijing leadership.
If you want to sound off in protest of the child labor in China, Olson advises the point of contact is: Maureen Jaffe, acting director, International Child Labor Program, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2431, Washington, DC 20210.
But I think it's time to take matters into our own hands. Don't wait for the government to act. Maybe it's not a big step – a dramatic step – but I think it's time to start reclaiming our national soul. A good first step would be for charitable organizations across America to swear off the sales of Chinese-made fireworks next summer.
Are you with me? If so, I'll keep hammering away at this theme and reminding you of the latest developments through next Independence Day.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Related offer:
"The China Threat," Bill Gertz's book about how People's Republic targets America, is available in WorldNetDaily's online store.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Farah is founder, editor and CEO of WND and a nationally syndicated columnist with Creators Syndicate. His latest book is "Taking America Back." He also edits the weekly online intelligence newsletter Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, in which he utilizes his sources developed over 30 years in the news business.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Fireworks performance celebrates PRC 57th birthday
People watch the fireworks in Shanghai on Sept. 30, 2006 the eve of China's National Day to celebrate the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
People watch the fireworks in Shanghai on Sept. 30, 2006 the eve of China's National Day to celebrate the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
The fireworks in Hong Kong on Oct.1, 2006 which is the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China attract hundreds of thousands of HK citizens.
The fireworks in Hong Kong on Oct.1, 2006 which is the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China attract hundreds of thousands of HK citizens.
Monday, September 18, 2006
China Fireworks bring joy, sorrow to Sping Festival
BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The return of fireworks to traditional Lunar New Year celebrations brought much joy to revelers, but also sorrow to some parts of the nation.
In Beijing, where a 12-year ban on fireworks had just been lifted, explosions injured 112 people, said the State Administration of Work Safety, quoted by Wednesday's China Daily.
Seventeen people suffered serious eye injuries, and another 26 were admitted to hospital with various types of wounds.
According to the Beijing News Daily, the city's environmental protection bureau collected 458 tons of waste fireworks on Jan. 29, the first day of the Lunar New Year.
In Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, firefighters rushedto extinguish 191 fires caused by fireworks on the Lunar New Year's Eve.
About 3,000 firefighters gave up the chance to spend the holiday with their families to remain on duty.
Experts said the lifting of the ban would help preserve traditional Chinese culture. But others said the return of fireworks would lead to more serious pollution, fires, injuries and deaths.
On Sunday, an explosion in Linzhou, a city in Henan Province, central China, killed 36 people and injured 48 others.
The explosion occurred when firecrackers in a storehouse were accidentally ignited, the State Administration of Work Safety saidin a statement.
Although there were disagreements, the governments in more than100 Chinese cities lifted the ban on fireworks last year.
Beijing also lifted the ban after a survey found that 70 percent of residents felt fireworks made the holiday period more festive.
The new rules allow Beijing residents to explore fireworks all day and all night on Jan. 28, and from 7 a.m. to midnight every day from Jan. 29 to Feb. 12.
With the aim of ensuring safety, about 3,000 police and community officers have been sent to patrol off-limits areas such as schools, retirement homes and sites of historic relics.
In Beijing, where a 12-year ban on fireworks had just been lifted, explosions injured 112 people, said the State Administration of Work Safety, quoted by Wednesday's China Daily.
Seventeen people suffered serious eye injuries, and another 26 were admitted to hospital with various types of wounds.
According to the Beijing News Daily, the city's environmental protection bureau collected 458 tons of waste fireworks on Jan. 29, the first day of the Lunar New Year.
In Chongqing Municipality, southwest China, firefighters rushedto extinguish 191 fires caused by fireworks on the Lunar New Year's Eve.
About 3,000 firefighters gave up the chance to spend the holiday with their families to remain on duty.
Experts said the lifting of the ban would help preserve traditional Chinese culture. But others said the return of fireworks would lead to more serious pollution, fires, injuries and deaths.
On Sunday, an explosion in Linzhou, a city in Henan Province, central China, killed 36 people and injured 48 others.
The explosion occurred when firecrackers in a storehouse were accidentally ignited, the State Administration of Work Safety saidin a statement.
Although there were disagreements, the governments in more than100 Chinese cities lifted the ban on fireworks last year.
Beijing also lifted the ban after a survey found that 70 percent of residents felt fireworks made the holiday period more festive.
The new rules allow Beijing residents to explore fireworks all day and all night on Jan. 28, and from 7 a.m. to midnight every day from Jan. 29 to Feb. 12.
With the aim of ensuring safety, about 3,000 police and community officers have been sent to patrol off-limits areas such as schools, retirement homes and sites of historic relics.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
confetti is going to replace fireworks?
All our confetti products are made of environment-friendly tissue or mylar material. With the feature of Easy-to-Use and Safe-to-Enjoy, our confetti products are regarded as A New Age of Flameless Fireworks! There is no need for our distributors to take the pain to obtain a pyrotechnic license. These fantastic confetti products will bring you amazing effects on all celebration occasions
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
The Ultimate Rockets
It's a pyrotechnist's dream come true: 55,000 rockets blasting off at the same time. University of Plymouth's Roy Lowry chats about his attempt to break the simultaneous-rocket-firing world record. Wired News interview by Nigel Watson.
In mid-August, a U.K. chemistry professor attempted a Guinness World Record by launching 55,000 fireworks at the same time.
Roy Lowry of the University of Plymouth is waiting for official confirmation of his record, but before he lit the fuses, he told Wired News about the preparations.
Wired News: What type of rockets are you using?
Roy Lowry: Our rockets are quite small -- they are 7 inches long. They are standard rockets that you can buy in the shops; they are not special. We will be putting them into 15 specially built 4-feet-square wooden frames.
These frames have a mesh wire on the top and in the middle. The middle wire grid holds the stick of the rocket and the top grid holds the base of the rocket. The top grid is laced with something called "black match," which is basically gunpowder in a tube. This is an old-fashioned method of igniting the rockets.
We plan to get 4,000 rockets into each frame. There will be an electrical igniter for each frame and they will all be wired to a black box with the red firing button. On (Aug. 16), a team from Fantastic Fireworks and lads from the local Air Training Corps will put the fireworks in the frames. These will be counted by volunteers from Plymouth University and five bank tellers. There will be two witnesses to make sure that the rockets are counted properly, and they will decide if any re-counting is required.
WN: Do you foresee any particular problems?
Lowry: We do have several headaches. One problem is the weather: The slightest damp turns (the rockets) into duds. We are particularly vulnerable to the weather when we start stacking the rockets into their frames on the morning of the event. We have tarpaulins to cover them but this then makes it difficult for us to count the rockets.
Technically, this is not a difficult procedure, but we are dealing with rockets that amount to about a quarter ton of gunpowder all being set off at once. Since the rockets will be packed so close together -- roughly two rockets per square inch -- there is bound to be midair collisions. I'll be launching them wearing a visor and hard hat for safety reasons. There will only be me and a video camera within the 100-meter exclusion zone.
Afterwards, any rockets that do not launch will be deducted from the number we put in the frames. I figure we should launch at least 55,000. To find out if we get the record we have to submit a package of evidence, and it will take six weeks to find out if you have broken the record or not.
WN: What made you try this record attempt in particular?
Lowry: I was in a hot office marking coursework when Plymouth City Council asked me to come to a meeting to discuss this and it was a great draw.... When they asked me for ideas, I suggested going for an established record. This record had stood for eight years and was ready for knocking.
WN: Was this difficult to organize?
Lowry: The current record holder, Terry McDonald, launched 39,210 rockets in 1997 at the Battle of Flowers Moonlight Parade in the Channel Islands. I rang him up and he gave me plenty of helpful advice. He said he had planned to launch 40,000 rockets but 790 failed to ignite.
Within days of deciding to go ahead with this project, Black Cat Fireworks offered to provide the rockets. The Guinness World Records rules say that they must be individual rockets that are designed to reach an altitude of 30 meters (100 feet), and they all must take off within a five-second window. So we were given a lorry load of rockets, which amounts to about 60,000 rockets.
Another company, Fantastic Fireworks, provided the frames and fusing, and Plymouth City Council have helped organize things and fund us. The Event Services Association TESA have also worked on the risk-assessment, logistics, crowd control, health and safety issues.
In mid-August, a U.K. chemistry professor attempted a Guinness World Record by launching 55,000 fireworks at the same time.
Roy Lowry of the University of Plymouth is waiting for official confirmation of his record, but before he lit the fuses, he told Wired News about the preparations.
Wired News: What type of rockets are you using?
Roy Lowry: Our rockets are quite small -- they are 7 inches long. They are standard rockets that you can buy in the shops; they are not special. We will be putting them into 15 specially built 4-feet-square wooden frames.
These frames have a mesh wire on the top and in the middle. The middle wire grid holds the stick of the rocket and the top grid holds the base of the rocket. The top grid is laced with something called "black match," which is basically gunpowder in a tube. This is an old-fashioned method of igniting the rockets.
We plan to get 4,000 rockets into each frame. There will be an electrical igniter for each frame and they will all be wired to a black box with the red firing button. On (Aug. 16), a team from Fantastic Fireworks and lads from the local Air Training Corps will put the fireworks in the frames. These will be counted by volunteers from Plymouth University and five bank tellers. There will be two witnesses to make sure that the rockets are counted properly, and they will decide if any re-counting is required.
WN: Do you foresee any particular problems?
Lowry: We do have several headaches. One problem is the weather: The slightest damp turns (the rockets) into duds. We are particularly vulnerable to the weather when we start stacking the rockets into their frames on the morning of the event. We have tarpaulins to cover them but this then makes it difficult for us to count the rockets.
Technically, this is not a difficult procedure, but we are dealing with rockets that amount to about a quarter ton of gunpowder all being set off at once. Since the rockets will be packed so close together -- roughly two rockets per square inch -- there is bound to be midair collisions. I'll be launching them wearing a visor and hard hat for safety reasons. There will only be me and a video camera within the 100-meter exclusion zone.
Afterwards, any rockets that do not launch will be deducted from the number we put in the frames. I figure we should launch at least 55,000. To find out if we get the record we have to submit a package of evidence, and it will take six weeks to find out if you have broken the record or not.
WN: What made you try this record attempt in particular?
Lowry: I was in a hot office marking coursework when Plymouth City Council asked me to come to a meeting to discuss this and it was a great draw.... When they asked me for ideas, I suggested going for an established record. This record had stood for eight years and was ready for knocking.
WN: Was this difficult to organize?
Lowry: The current record holder, Terry McDonald, launched 39,210 rockets in 1997 at the Battle of Flowers Moonlight Parade in the Channel Islands. I rang him up and he gave me plenty of helpful advice. He said he had planned to launch 40,000 rockets but 790 failed to ignite.
Within days of deciding to go ahead with this project, Black Cat Fireworks offered to provide the rockets. The Guinness World Records rules say that they must be individual rockets that are designed to reach an altitude of 30 meters (100 feet), and they all must take off within a five-second window. So we were given a lorry load of rockets, which amounts to about 60,000 rockets.
Another company, Fantastic Fireworks, provided the frames and fusing, and Plymouth City Council have helped organize things and fund us. The Event Services Association TESA have also worked on the risk-assessment, logistics, crowd control, health and safety issues.
Tighter controls loom for public sale of fireworks
Tighter controls loom for public sale of fireworks
Auckland City's Economic Development and Sustainable Business Committee has agreed to support work being carried out by central government to address public concerns about the sale and use of fireworks.
Led by the Ministry for the Environment with the Environmental Risk Management Authority and Auckland police and fire services, a paper recommending a range of fireworks regulations and measures will be presented to the Cabinet calling for tighter controls.
Councillor Richard Northey, committee chairperson says the council supports this central government work programme and will notify the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Auckland Issues accordingly.
"Harmful incidents from fireworks are escalating annually. The central government's work programme is all about reducing these occurrences and protecting public safety.
"We believe that appropriate changes to fireworks regulations should reduce the amount of damage to people, property and pets stemming from the deliberate misuse of fireworks that occurs every Guy Fawkes season," Mr Northey said. In response to calls of concern from community boards, police, the fire service, SPCA and other groups over the irresponsible use of fireworks, the council has agreed to another temporary ban in public space along Tamaki Drive for Guy Fawkes from 3 - 5 November 2006.
The ban covers all beaches and parks along Tamaki Drive - Watene Reserve, Okahu Bay, Orakei Domain, Whenua Rangatira (Bastion Point), Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, Selwyn Domain, Kohimarama Beach, Vellenoweth Green, St Heliers Bay Beach, Ladies Bay and Achilles Point.
"We don't want to stop people having fun and celebrating Guy Fawkes but we do have a responsibility to minimise the rise of injuries and the impact on animals," says Mr Northey.
The ban does not apply to fireworks on private property.
Auckland City's Economic Development and Sustainable Business Committee has agreed to support work being carried out by central government to address public concerns about the sale and use of fireworks.
Led by the Ministry for the Environment with the Environmental Risk Management Authority and Auckland police and fire services, a paper recommending a range of fireworks regulations and measures will be presented to the Cabinet calling for tighter controls.
Councillor Richard Northey, committee chairperson says the council supports this central government work programme and will notify the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Auckland Issues accordingly.
"Harmful incidents from fireworks are escalating annually. The central government's work programme is all about reducing these occurrences and protecting public safety.
"We believe that appropriate changes to fireworks regulations should reduce the amount of damage to people, property and pets stemming from the deliberate misuse of fireworks that occurs every Guy Fawkes season," Mr Northey said. In response to calls of concern from community boards, police, the fire service, SPCA and other groups over the irresponsible use of fireworks, the council has agreed to another temporary ban in public space along Tamaki Drive for Guy Fawkes from 3 - 5 November 2006.
The ban covers all beaches and parks along Tamaki Drive - Watene Reserve, Okahu Bay, Orakei Domain, Whenua Rangatira (Bastion Point), Michael Joseph Savage Memorial, Selwyn Domain, Kohimarama Beach, Vellenoweth Green, St Heliers Bay Beach, Ladies Bay and Achilles Point.
"We don't want to stop people having fun and celebrating Guy Fawkes but we do have a responsibility to minimise the rise of injuries and the impact on animals," says Mr Northey.
The ban does not apply to fireworks on private property.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Chemistry of Firework Colors
Chemistry of Firework Colors
A Marriage of Art and Science
Creating firework colors is a complex endeavor, requiring considerable art and application of physical science. Excluding propellants or special effects, the points of light ejected from fireworks, termed 'stars', generally require an oxygen-producer, fuel, binder (to keep everything where it needs to be), and color producer. There are two main mechanisms of color production in fireworks, incandescence and luminescence.
Incandescence
Incandescence is light produced from heat. Heat causes a substance to become hot and glow, initially emitting infrared, then red, orange, yellow, and white light as it becomes increasingly hotter. When the temperature of a firework is controlled, the glow of components, such as charcoal, can be manipulated to be the desired color (temperature) at the proper time. Metals, such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, burn very brightly and are useful for increasing the temperature of the firework.
Luminescence
Luminescence is light produced using energy sources other than heat. Sometimes luminescence is called 'cold light', because it can occur at room temperature and cooler temperatures. To produce luminescence, energy is absorbed by an electron of an atom or molecule, causing it to become excited, but unstable. When the electron returns to a lower energy state the energy is released in the form of a photon (light). The energy of the photon determines its wavelength or color.
Sometimes the salts needed to produce the desired color are unstable. Barium chloride (green) is unstable at room temperatures, so barium must be combined with a more stable compound (e.g., chlorinated rubber). In this case, the chlorine is released in the heat of the burning of the pyrotechnic composition, to then form barium chloride and produce the green color. Copper chloride (blue), on the other hand, is unstable at high temperatures, so the firework cannot get too hot, yet must be bright enough to be seen.
Quality
Pure colors require pure ingredients. Even trace amounts of sodium impurities (yellow-orange) are sufficient to overpower or alter other colors. Careful formulation is required so that too much smoke or residue doesn't mask the color. With fireworks, as with other things, cost often relates to quality. Skill of the manufacturer and date the firework was produced greatly affect the final display (or lack thereof).
Color Compound
Red strontium salts, lithium salts
lithium carbonate, Li2CO3 = red
strontium carbonate, SrCO3 = bright red
Orange calcium salts
calcium chloride, CaCl2
calcium sulfate, CaSO4·xH2O, where x = 0,2,3,5
Gold incandescence of iron (with carbon), charcoal, or lampblack
Yellow sodium compounds
sodium nitrate, NaNO3
cryolite, Na3AlF6
Electric White white-hot metal, such as magnesium or aluminum
barium oxide, BaO
Green barium compounds + chlorine producer
barium chloride, BaCl+ = bright green
Blue copper compounds + chlorine producer
copper acetoarsenite (Paris Green), Cu3As2O3Cu(C2H3O2)2 = blue
copper (I) chloride, CuCl = turquoise blue
Purple mixture of strontium (red) and copper (blue) compounds
Silver burning aluminum, titanium, or magnesium powder or flakes
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
China Fireworks
It is a tradition in China to welcome the New Year with fireworks. At midnight, the sky is lit up by fireworks, which symbolize the sending out of the old and the ushering in the new.
Firecrackers are set off as soon as the New Year arrives. You can hear or see firecrackers everywhere and this usually lasts for a few hours. Some people continue to play firecrackers occasionally throughout the first half of the first month. Traditionally fireworks are the sign of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. However, fireworks are now banned in China, so this tradition is history.
Chinese fireworks are special and they are produced on a commercial scale. Chinese firecrackers are exported to all parts of the world. The firecrackers called stars are contained in nearly every firework and burn in the sky to produce the effect. These stars are rolled in special drums or pressed into small cylinders. Stars in a shell are usually considered the most impressive firework in a display. They produce big bursts of color in the sky. Shells are made in 2 halves and then closed together. A finished 300mm shell will fire about 300 meters into the sky and burst before burning for more than 20 seconds.
China's fireworks industry suffers hundreds of deaths every year in fires and explosions. The industry employs thousands of people, often in poor rural areas, who do much of the work by hand. The death rate keeps soaring despite repeated government promises to tighten safety. The fatality rate usually surges as producers rush to fill orders for the Lunar New Year, which comes in January. Chinese celebrate by setting off billions of firecrackers.
The government has said that it would close fireworks factories that lack modern equipment and ban production in homes, but it is not clear how effectively those restrictions can be enforced.
Firecrackers are set off as soon as the New Year arrives. You can hear or see firecrackers everywhere and this usually lasts for a few hours. Some people continue to play firecrackers occasionally throughout the first half of the first month. Traditionally fireworks are the sign of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. However, fireworks are now banned in China, so this tradition is history.
Chinese fireworks are special and they are produced on a commercial scale. Chinese firecrackers are exported to all parts of the world. The firecrackers called stars are contained in nearly every firework and burn in the sky to produce the effect. These stars are rolled in special drums or pressed into small cylinders. Stars in a shell are usually considered the most impressive firework in a display. They produce big bursts of color in the sky. Shells are made in 2 halves and then closed together. A finished 300mm shell will fire about 300 meters into the sky and burst before burning for more than 20 seconds.
China's fireworks industry suffers hundreds of deaths every year in fires and explosions. The industry employs thousands of people, often in poor rural areas, who do much of the work by hand. The death rate keeps soaring despite repeated government promises to tighten safety. The fatality rate usually surges as producers rush to fill orders for the Lunar New Year, which comes in January. Chinese celebrate by setting off billions of firecrackers.
The government has said that it would close fireworks factories that lack modern equipment and ban production in homes, but it is not clear how effectively those restrictions can be enforced.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Fireworks industry gets banged up
pyrotechnics operators like Jim Souza, the job has always been a balance of work and fun, preparation and payoff.
But in recent years, what had been a cool way of helping communities celebrate has turned taxing and burdensome. Industry leaders say this has been the most challenging Fourth of July season in memory.
One of the most pressing concerns has been the lack of shipping carriers transporting fireworks from overseas manufacturers. All but one has halted shipments of large fireworks following a recent fire and explosion aboard a liner carrying a shipment of fireworks.
In addition, the events of Sept. 11, 2001, have weighed heavily on the industry, whose explosives have received the same level of scrutiny applied to other industries dealing with dangerous materials. Insurance premiums have also jumped sharply because of safety concerns.
Despite the recent travails, this year’s fireworks shows are expected to go off without a hitch. But pyrotechnicians are worried about future shows.
“ We’re here to light up the sky and make everyone happy to celebrate the Fourth of July, but it’s just a tough time for us, ” said Souza, owner of Pyro Spectaculars and a fifth-generation pyrotechnician. “ It’s become a lot more expensive and difficult to put (the shows ) on. ”
For one thing, his company and others were having a hard time getting their hands on fireworks, most of which are manufactured in China. The flow of supplies slowed after a March 21 explosion aboard the Hyundai Fortune, a container ship that was traveling through the Indian Ocean from Asia to Europe. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but the presence of fireworks led Hyundai and five other shipping companies to place a moratorium on the transport of large fireworks.
Only one company, Maersk, is shipping public-display fireworks explosives. The sudden turn of events caused a great amount of consternation among display operators, who were forced to reroute shipments and pray for their arrival in time.
Some bought supplies from bigger rivals with large inventories while others, like John Weiter, the owner of Gateway Fireworks Displays in St. Louis, waited it out. Weiter said his shipment arrived a couple of weeks ago. Normally it would have arrived by April.
Bengt Henriksen, a president of Quality Logistics, a San Carlos fireworks importer, said there was no evidence the Hyundai explosion was caused by fireworks. He said an investigation he commissioned found the fire began below deck, while the fireworks were stored on the top of the ship.
He said the moratorium has been a huge imposition. Even after rerouting the shipments on Maersk ships, fireworks operators have run into regulations that limit the amount of fireworks that can be transported on a ship.
“ There are probably 500 containers of fireworks stranded in China that are not coming in for July 4 because of this, ” said Henriksen, who handles shipments for a majority of the fireworks operators in the United States.
“ This is a long-term problem, ” said Julie Heckman, executive director of the Pyrotechnics Association of America. “ We got through this Fourth of July, but we might not get through the next if we don’t figure out how to get the product here. ”
But in recent years, what had been a cool way of helping communities celebrate has turned taxing and burdensome. Industry leaders say this has been the most challenging Fourth of July season in memory.
One of the most pressing concerns has been the lack of shipping carriers transporting fireworks from overseas manufacturers. All but one has halted shipments of large fireworks following a recent fire and explosion aboard a liner carrying a shipment of fireworks.
In addition, the events of Sept. 11, 2001, have weighed heavily on the industry, whose explosives have received the same level of scrutiny applied to other industries dealing with dangerous materials. Insurance premiums have also jumped sharply because of safety concerns.
Despite the recent travails, this year’s fireworks shows are expected to go off without a hitch. But pyrotechnicians are worried about future shows.
“ We’re here to light up the sky and make everyone happy to celebrate the Fourth of July, but it’s just a tough time for us, ” said Souza, owner of Pyro Spectaculars and a fifth-generation pyrotechnician. “ It’s become a lot more expensive and difficult to put (the shows ) on. ”
For one thing, his company and others were having a hard time getting their hands on fireworks, most of which are manufactured in China. The flow of supplies slowed after a March 21 explosion aboard the Hyundai Fortune, a container ship that was traveling through the Indian Ocean from Asia to Europe. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but the presence of fireworks led Hyundai and five other shipping companies to place a moratorium on the transport of large fireworks.
Only one company, Maersk, is shipping public-display fireworks explosives. The sudden turn of events caused a great amount of consternation among display operators, who were forced to reroute shipments and pray for their arrival in time.
Some bought supplies from bigger rivals with large inventories while others, like John Weiter, the owner of Gateway Fireworks Displays in St. Louis, waited it out. Weiter said his shipment arrived a couple of weeks ago. Normally it would have arrived by April.
Bengt Henriksen, a president of Quality Logistics, a San Carlos fireworks importer, said there was no evidence the Hyundai explosion was caused by fireworks. He said an investigation he commissioned found the fire began below deck, while the fireworks were stored on the top of the ship.
He said the moratorium has been a huge imposition. Even after rerouting the shipments on Maersk ships, fireworks operators have run into regulations that limit the amount of fireworks that can be transported on a ship.
“ There are probably 500 containers of fireworks stranded in China that are not coming in for July 4 because of this, ” said Henriksen, who handles shipments for a majority of the fireworks operators in the United States.
“ This is a long-term problem, ” said Julie Heckman, executive director of the Pyrotechnics Association of America. “ We got through this Fourth of July, but we might not get through the next if we don’t figure out how to get the product here. ”
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