| Abstract: | The behavior, in an oxygen atmosphere, of shocked drops of nitromethane, 1- and 2- nitropropane, ethyl and propyl nitrate, decane, and heptane was studied. Results suggest a new mode of ignition for nitrates at high incident shock Mach numbers (M 3.7). At the high incident shock strengths ignition occurs in the boundary layer, but no blast wave develops as is the case for lower shock strengths. Since ignition delay times are very short under these conditions, the absence of blast waves is attributed to the lack of time for the accumulation of fuel in the wake. Gas phase studies of the shock decomposition of fuel molecules were undertaken to determine if gas phase data could be used to explain the trends in the drop ignition observations. Nitromethane and the nitrates were mainly used in this effort. Alternative explanations for the role of gas phase kinetics in the ignition of drops are presented. |
