Re: "electronically" puncture CO2 cartridge... how?

Igor Hudolin wrote:
> For hobby I'm working on a project that also involves creating a circuit for
> activating CO2 cartridge. By activating I mean puncture of cartridge and
> fill some stuff with CO2. My first approach was using valves, but because my
> circuit needs to be very small and run on butteries I was forced to use
> "mini" valves that run on 5V. After some online search all suitable valves I
> found can only work with pressure with up to 10 BAR, which (I think) will
> not work with CO2 cartridges.
>
> Is there any other method to "electronically" puncture the cartridge using
> only elements that run on butteries?

On a military sonarbuoy project I worked on we did this by having a
spring loaded spike that was held in place by a string which was rapped
around a resistor body. Pass current through the resistor and it heats
up burns the string and releases the spring loaded spike which
punchures the can.

This mechanism was manufactured in the tens of thousands and proved
100% reliable. It even survived the harsh conditions of being slammed
into the ocesn from a helicopter or plane.

Dave :)

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