Some aspects of blast from fuel-air explosives

Numerical solutions of the blast wave flow from a spherical explosive charge were obtained using the artificial viscosity technique as employed by Oppenheim. The flow is treated as adiabatic and inviscid and ideal equations of state are used for reactants, products and the surrounding air environment. Differences are noted in the peak pressure, static impulse and dynamic impulse resulting from three representative types of idealized initiation: (1) centrally initiated, self-similar Chapman-Jouguet detonation, (2) edge initiated spherical implosion and (3) constant volume energy release followed by sudden venting to the environment. These are compared to the ideal point blast with counterpressure of the same total energy release. In addition, numerical solutions are presented for centrally initiated, stoichiometric hydrogen-oxygen mixtures surrounded by air for detonation and for deflagration according to an empirically determined, non-steady flame velocity. The greater energy transfer to the environment in the case of detonation is demonstrated.     

Photochemical initiation of gaseous detonations

Direct initiation of detonations in gaseous mixtures of C₂H₂-O₂, H₂-O₂ and H₂-Cl₂ in the pressure range of 10–150 torr using flash photolysis was studied. Similar to blast initiation using a concentrated powerful energy source, it was found that for photochemical initiation, there exists a certain threshold of flash intensity and energy for each mixture at any given initial pressure and composition below which a deflagration is formed. At the critical threshold, however, a fully developed detonation is rapidly formed in the immediate vicinity of the window of incident UV radiation. However, at super critical flash energies, the amplitude of the detonation formed decreases and combustion of the entire irradiated volume approaches a constant volume explosion. It was found that photo-chemical initiation requires both a certain minimum peak value of the free radical concentration generated by the photo-dissociation as well as an appropriate gradient of this free radical distribution. The minimum peak radical concentration permits rapid reaction rates for the generation of strong pressure waves, while the gradient is necessary for the amplification of the shock waves to a detonation. If the gradient is absent and the free radicals are uniformly distributed in the mixture, then the entire volume simply explodes as in a constant volume process. The present study reveals that the mechanism of photochemical initiation is one of proper temporal synchronization of the chemical energy release to the shock wave as it propagates through the mixture. In analogy to the LASER, the term SWACER is introduced to represent this mechanism of Shock Wave Amplication by Coherent Energy Release. There are strong indications that this SWACER mechanism is universal and plays the main role in the formation of detonations whenever a powerful concentrated external source is not used to generate a strong shock wave in the explosive.     

Effects of a hot jet on detonation initiation and propagation in supersonic combustible mixtures

The effects of a hot jet on detonation initiation and propagation in supersonic combustible mixtures has been studied with two-dimensional numerical simulations with the open-source program AMROC that uses a block-structured adaptive mesh refinement method. Results indicate that the hot jet could ignite the detonation effectively in supersonic combustible mixtures like a pneumatic ramp. After the realization of the detonation initiation, the hot jet can still play an important role on the detonation propagation during its continuous ejection. For a hot jet with certain diameter, it can result in an overdriven detonation with almost constant overdrive degree. After the shutdown of the hot jet, the stable CJ detonation combustion was realized finally in the supersonic combustible mixtures. With the re-ejection of the hot jet, the failed detonation could be reinitiated quickly. Through the control of the re-ejection of the hot jet, it plays a key role not only in the initiation process, but also in the subsequent continuous detonation combustion period.     

气相氛围中悬浮粉末燃料爆震燃烧研究进展

针对在氧化性气相氛围以及在燃料/氧化剂混合气相氛围中粉末燃料爆震燃烧波的传播特性,总结了气相氛围中悬浮粉末燃料爆震燃烧的实验和数值模拟研究进展,归纳了影响爆震波速度、稳定性、传播模式、细观结构和胞格尺寸的主要因素。同时,还介绍了粉末燃料应用于爆震发动机或燃烧室的案例;结合粉末爆震自身特点对实验装置和燃烧诊断测试手段和数值模拟方法进行总结分析;最后针对下一步需要开展的研究工作进行展望 。     

煤油温度对于爆震波形成影响的实验研究

在内径为30mm的脉冲爆震发动机模型上，以煤油为燃料，以空气为氧化剂，成功地进行了两相爆震实验，获得了充分发展的脉冲爆震波。测试了在化学恰当比，不同爆震频率及燃油温度下的爆震波压力，并对其变化进行了分析。通过分析实验结果发现，在化学恰当比下，爆震频率不变时，煤油温度的升高明显促进了爆震的形成，在内径小于混合物胞格尺寸的爆震管内，可以形成充分发展的两相脉冲爆震波。     

混合比影响爆震波点火器工作过程之实验研究

爆震波点火器用于工程，其设计存在一个最佳结合点，使得在合适的管路中，爆震波传播速度、转捩距离、爆震波能量等能够符合点火器目标需求。为了研制适用于工程的爆震波点火器，在氢氧爆震波点火器基本特性试验的基础上，对初始混合气体的混合比等与爆震波特性的关系进行了研究。对实验结果进行分析认为。混合比对爆燃爆震转捩（DDT）距离影响较大，混合比大于3时，其转捩距离小于500mm。混合比增加时，爆震波传播速度会减小，但稳定的爆震波相对于波的混气的马赫数并小减小，维持在4．8左右。在初始混气压力不变情况下，质量流量可以提高爆震波能量，增强爆震波的点火能力。研究结论时爆震波点火器在工程中实际应用及以后的研究方向具有指导性作出。     

A study of detonation in methane/air clouds

In the present paper, we study the problem of detonation in unconfined, gaseous mixtures of methane/oxygen/nitrogen. A numerical simulation approach is employed in which we use a one-dimensional (spherical symmetry), time-dependent computer model to simulate the coupled compressible fluid dynamics-chemical kinetics processes which occur upon direct initiation of detonation. We establish the magnitude of explosive yield of tetryl required to initiate detonation in mixtures of CH₄ + 2O₂ with varying degrees of nitrogen dilution, up to and including stoichiometric . The numerical simulations illustrate the features of direct initiation observed in many experimental investigations, e.g. shock-wave breakaway followed by detonation reestablishment via a quasi-steady, oscillatory flow regime which occurs before the establishment of a steadily propagating spherical detonation. Our results compare well with recent experimental data obtained by Bull et al. (1976) over the range of tetryl masses studied by them. We find that tetryl explosive masses in excess of 10⁷ grams would be required to initiate detonation in an unconfined, stoichiometric mixture.     

爆震波点火器在氢氧塞式喷管的工程应用

建立了氢氧爆震波点火器试验系统,并根据试验塞式喷管发动机工作状态要求设计了爆震波点火器。在高空条件下(0.005￣0.002MPa),爆震波点火器供气压力0.3MPa、混合比3左右,对爆震波点火器的点火性能进行了试验,成功实现了高空条件下爆震波点火火炬。在同样高空条件下对爆震波点火器点燃单元塞式喷管试验发动机成功进行了点火试验。试验结果表明,氢氧爆震波点火器能以较低的供气压力实现可靠点火。爆震波点火器在气氢气氧单元塞式喷管试验发动机点火的成功应用,为下一阶段应用于多管塞式喷管发动机的实际点火试验提供了技术基础。     

Detonation engine fed by acetylene–oxygen mixture

The advantages of a constant volume combustion cycle as compared to constant pressure combustion in terms of thermodynamic efficiency has focused the search for advanced propulsion on detonation engines. Detonation of acetylene mixed with oxygen in various proportions is studied using mathematical modeling. Simplified kinetics of acetylene burning includes 11 reactions with 9 components. Deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) is obtained in a cylindrical tube with a section of obstacles modeling a Shchelkin spiral; the DDT takes place in this section for a wide range of initial mixture compositions. A modified ka-omega turbulence model is used to simulate flame acceleration in the Shchelkin spiral section of the system. The results of numerical simulations were compared with experiments, which had been performed in the same size detonation chamber and turbulent spiral ring section, and with theoretical data on the Chapman–Jouguet detonation parameters.     

壳体大变形对传爆接头传爆性能的影响

为考核壳体大变形对传爆接头传爆性能的影响,通过殉爆影响因素对爆炸序列和壳体变形的影响分析,设计了传爆接头间隙摸底试验.研究结果表明,对于复合材料纤维缠绕壳体,当发动机处于工作状态时,壳体发生较大变形,使传爆接头传爆界面出现间隙,对其传爆性能有较大影响;原有传爆接头已不适应壳体大变形的需要,需采取措施改进接头性能.     

Some technical aspects of gaseous detonation

This paper briefly describes two attempts to utilize detonative combustion processes to MHD conversion of thermal energy of fuel to electrical energy and bonding of atmospheric nitrogen. For this purpose a continuous impulse detonation chamber with a frequency up to 200 cps was constructed. Using methane-oxygen-nitrogen mixtures the chamber was maintained in stable operation for several hundred hours. Oil was also employed as fuel.Estimates based on experimental data showed that up to 2% of chemical energy of the fuel may be converted into electrical energy. The use of an accelerating nozzle may improve this result.The concentration of nitrogen oxide in combustion products of the detonation wave was higher by 14% than that expected under usual combustion conditions.The advantages of this type of apparatus are: absence of compressors for fuel and oxidant, impulse current generation, low temperatures of chamber walls, and operation over a large range of operating conditions.Problems associated with the effect of the magnetic field on the propagation of the detonation wave are discussed and the possibility of applying the Zeldovich theory to the case of MHD interaction is described. It is shown that the detonation velocity may either increase or decrease depending on the relative orientation of the direction of magnetic field with respect to the detonation wave.     

Pulse detonation engines: Technical approaches

The paper contains analysis of the problems preventing from wide use of pulse detonation engines (PDE), and provides suggestions to overcome those problems. In particular, the results of theoretical investigations of basic operating cycle in PDE—deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) processes in combustible gaseous mixtures and transmission of detonation into large chambers—are presented. The paper investigates the effect of implosion shock waves on the onset of detonation in gases, and suggests the scheme of detonation transmission from a narrow gap into a wide chamber, which makes it possible to reduce the predetonation length thus shortening the necessary length of the engine.     

Closed theoretical model of a detonation cell

A model for an elementary detonation cell is postulated. On its basis, the geometry of the cell pattern and the kinematics of the wave fronts forming the cells are evaluated. The cell size is determined assuming that the induction time obeys an Arrhenius relationship with temperature. Thus, it is shown that some kinetic parameters of the mixture, such as the activation energy, can be deduced from the cell size. It is also demonstrated that by combining the cell model with the experimental data on the propagation of the detonation wave in a rapidly expanding channel, the initiation energy for a cylindrical detonation wave can be estimated.     

超声速斜爆震发动机起爆过程研究综述

对超声速斜爆震发动机的起爆方式进行了比较分析,对起爆发展和稳定特性的研究历程和发展现状进行了综述,对相关的研究方法和技术进行了概括,提出了利用先进光学测量技术,结合激光诱导荧光技术对超声速斜爆震发动机起爆过程进行实验研究的设想。     

A numerical study of the charge diameter effect on unsteady detonation

A numerical study for the unsteady detonation of an unconfined tetryl charge of small diameter, which is assumed to be homogeneous, was performed by using the two-dimensional Lagrangian hydrodynamic computer code, 2 DL, with the first order Arrhenius equation of reaction rate. Becker-Kistiakowsky-Wilson (BKW) and Kihara-Hikita (KH) equations of state have been applied to the detonation products.In the case of BKW, it is shown that the rarefaction waves propagating inward from the lateral surface make the reaction rate slow and give a curvature to the front. Then after an induction time, a strong initiation occurs in the reaction zone near the lateral surface and higher pressure zone moves to the axis. This higher pressure accelerates the detonation propagation near the lateral surface and the curvature of detonation front is reduced. Then, the reaction at the lateral surface again begins to decay by the rarefaction waves. Such a sequence of process is repeated periodically.The possibility of the occurrence of the strong initiation depends on the pressure and temperature in the shocked zone near the surface. In a small diameter charge, the delayed explosion becomes weaker near the surface, while its frequency increases. No shock interaction occurs because the direction of the particle flow is always divergent.In the case of KH equation of state, the temperature of detonation is higher than that obtained by BKW and the behaviour of instability becomes rather different from the previous result, i.e. in the axis the pressure oscillates repeating the overdriven and underdriven detonation similar with the case of BKW.     

流体喷管的脉冲爆震发动机出口过膨胀优化数值研究

在脉冲爆震发动机工作过程中,爆震室压力处于强非定常状态.传统的型面不可调尾喷管与可调尾喷管都无法满足爆震室内压力的高频剧烈变化,进而导致较大的推力损失.为了提升现有脉冲爆震发动机型面不可调增推喷管性能,可以从爆震室中引出爆震燃气,通过无阀自适应控制将该二次流喷射在喷管扩张段,实时调节主流的有效扩张面积比,进而形成流体喷...     

Detonation in two-layer systems

Detonation in heterogeneous systems involving parallel layers of two different substances was investigated. It was assumed that the denser medium can undergo fast chemical reaction without mixing with the other medium, and the detonation propagates along the two layers. The process of initiation is associated with a shock wave advancing through the medium of lesser density. An idealized gasdynamic model of the phenomenon is proposed in order to evaluate detonation parameters of the two-layer system on the basis of the characteristic features of its constituents. As calculation shows, in the absence of mixing between the two layers, the detonation is capable of propagating at a higher velocity than in the case when the constituents forming the layers are mixed.     

Initiation of spherical detonation in hydrocarbon/air mixtures

Spherical detonations have been initiated by solid explosive (Tetryl) charges in well-mixed stoicheiometric air mixtures with each of the hydrocarbons, ethane, propane, n-butane, isobutane and ethylene at atmospheric pressure. Prior to initiation, the gases were contained in plastic bags; total gas volume and available path length were up to 1.6 m³ and 2 m, respectively. The detonations were shown to be self-sustained by continuous measurement of detonation velocity using X-band microwave interferometry. Measured detonation velocities were in all cases close to calculated C-J values.In a few experiments close to the limits of detonability, velocity and blast pressure/time records indicated that the propagating wave system is sometimes irregular. The irregularity that occurs just after initiation is characterised by a reaction front velocity very much lower than the constant detonation velocity, but subsequently attaining the latter by an acceleration process. These observations indicate the existence of a dissociated phase in which shock and reaction fronts may no longer be coupled.Because similar experimental conditions were used throughout, it was possible to establish the relative susceptibilities of the various fuel gases to detonation. Comparison is made with the Zeldovich criterion and a detonation kernel theory of Lee.     

补燃循环发动机强迫起动研究

某泵压式液体火箭发动机是我国首台采用强迫起动方式的补燃循环发动机.结合发动机特点建立了强迫起动模型,进行了系统级冷调试验,根据试验及仿真结果确定了发动机起动参数及起动程序.针对试车暴露的问题,采取一系列措施解决了起动超调、起动爆燃、推力室点火冲击大及喷注器起动变形等问题.研究结果在发动机试车中得到验证.     

Hydrodynamic instabilities and transverse waves in propagation mechanism of gaseous detonations

The present study examines the role of transverse waves and hydrodynamic instabilities mainly, Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) and Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) in detonation structure using two-dimensional high-resolution numerical simulations of Euler equations. To compare the numerical results with those of experiments, Navier–Stokes simulations are also performed by utilizing the effect of diffusion in highly irregular detonations. Results for both moderate and low activation energy mixtures reveal that upon collision of two triple points a pair of forward and backward facing jets is formed. As the jets spread, they undergo Richtmyer–Meshkov instability. The drastic growth of the forward jet found to have profound role in re-acceleration of the detonation wave at the end of a detonation cell cycle. For irregular detonations, the transverse waves found to have substantial role in propagation mechanism of such detonations. In regular detonations, the lead shock ignites all the gases passing through it, hence, the transverse waves and hydrodynamic instabilities do not play crucial role in propagation mechanism of such regular detonations. In comparison with previous numerical simulations present simulation using single-step kinetics shows a distinct keystone-shaped region at the end of the detonation cell.