Deflagration to detonation transition in weakly confined conditions for a type of potentially novel green primary explosive:Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/RDX hybrid nanocomposites

The properties of the combustion and deflagration to detonation transition(DDT)of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/RDX hybrid nanocomposites,a type of potentially novel lead-free primary explosives,were tested in weakly confined conditions,and the interaction of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)nanothermite and RDX in the DDT process was studied in detail.Results show that the amount of the Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)nanothermite has a great effect on the DDT properties of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/RDX nanocomposites.The addition of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)nanothermite to RDX apparently improves the firing properties of RDX.A small amount of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)nanothermite greatly increases the initial combustion velocity of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/RDX nanocomposites,accelerating their DDT process.When the contents of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)nanothermite are less than 20 wt%,the DDT mechanisms of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/RDX nanocomposites follow the distinct abrupt mode,and are consistent with that of RDX,though their DDT processes are different.The RDX added into the Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)nanothermite increases the latter's peak combustion velocity and makes it generate the DDT when the RDX content is at least 10 wt%.RDX plays a key role in the shock compressive combustion,the formation and the properties of the DDT in the flame propagation of nanocomposites.Compared with RDX,the fast DDT of Al/Fe_(2)O_(3)/RDX nanocomposites could be obtained by adjusting the chemical constituents of nanocomposites.

Theoretical analysis on deflagration-to-detonation transition

The study on deflagration-to-detonation transition （DDT） is very important because this mechanism has relevance to safety issues in industries, where combustible premixed gases are in general use. However, the quantitative prediction of DDT is one of the major unsolved problems in combustion and detonation theory to date. In this paper, the DDT process is studied theoretically and the critical condition is given by a concise theoretical expression. The results show that a deflagration wave propagating with about 60% Chapman-Jouguet （C J） detonation velocity is a critical condition. This velocity is the maximum propagating velocity of a deflagration wave and almost equal to the sound speed of combustion products. When this critical condition is reached, a CJ detonation is triggered immediately. This is the quantitative criteria of the DDT process.

Effects of heat loss and viscosity friction at walls on flame acceleration and deflagration to detonation transition

The coupled effect of wall heat loss and viscosity friction on flame propagation and deflagration to detonation transition(DDT) in micro-scale channel is investigated by high-resolution numerical simulations.The results show that when the heat loss at walls is considered, the oscillating flame presents a reciprocating motion of the flame front.The channel width and Boit number are varied to understand the effect of heat loss on the oscillating flame and DDT.It is found that the oscillating propagation is determined by the competition between wall heat loss and viscous friction.The flame retreat is led by the adverse pressure gradient caused by thermal contraction, while it is inhibited by the viscous effects of wall friction and flame boundary layer.The adverse pressure gradient formed in front of a flame, caused by the heat loss and thermal contraction, is the main reason for the flame retreat.Furthermore, the oscillating flame can develop to a detonation due to the pressure rise by thermal expansion and wall friction.The transition to detonation depends non-monotonically on the channel width.

Critical deflagration waves leading to detonation onset under different boundary conditions

High-speed turbulent critical deflagration waves before detonation onset in H2–air mixture propagated into a square cross section channel, which was assembled of optional rigid rough, rigid smooth, or flexible walls. The corresponding propagation characteristic and the influence of the wall boundaries on the propagation were investigated via high-speed shadowgraph and a high-frequency pressure sampling system. As a comprehensive supplement to the different walls effect investigation, the effect of porous absorbing walls on the detonation propagation was also investigated via smoke foils and the high-frequency pressure sampling system. Results are as follows. In the critical deflagration stage, the leading shock and the closely following turbulent flame front travel at a speed of nearly half the CJ detonation velocity. In the preheated zone, a zonary flame arises from the overlapping part of the boundary layer and the pressure waves, and then merges into the mainstream flame. Among these wall boundary conditions, the rigid rough wall plays a most positive role in the formation of the zonary flame and thus accelerates the transition of the deflagration to detonation（DDT）, which is due to the boost of the boundary layer growth and the pressure wave reflection. Even though the flexible wall is not conducive to the pressure wave reflection, it brings out a faster boundary layer growth, which plays a more significant role in the zonary flame formation. Additionally, the porous absorbing wall absorbs the transverse wave and yields detonation decay and velocity deficit. After the absorbing wall, below some low initial pressure conditions, no re-initiation occurs and the deflagration propagates in critical deflagration for a relatively long distance.

Deflagration and detonation induced by shock wave focusing at different Mach numbers

Shock wave focusing is an effective way to create a hot spot or a high-pressure and hightemperature region at a certain place,showing its unique usage in detonation initiation,which is beneficial for the development of detonation-based engines.The flame propagation behavior after the autoignition induced by shock wave focusing is crucial to the formation and self-sustaining of the detonation wave.In this study,wedge reflectors with two different angles(60°and 90°)and a planar reflector are employed,and the Mach number of incident shock waves ranging from 2.0 to 2.8 is utilized to trigger different flame propagation modes.Dynamic pressure transducers and the high-speed schlieren imaging system are both employed to investigate the shock-shock collision and ignition procedure.The results reveal a total of four flame propagation modes:deflagration,DDT(Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition),unsteady detonation,and direct detonation.The detonation wave formed in the DDT and unsteady detonation mode is only approximately 75%-85%of the Chapman-Jouguet(C-J)speed;meanwhile,the directly induced detonation wave speed is close to the C-J speed.Transverse waves,which are strong evidence for the existence of detonation waves,are discovered in experiments.The usage of wedge reflectors significantly reduces the initial pressure difference ratio needed for direct detonation ignition.We also provide a practical method for differentiating between detonation and deflagration modes,which involves contrasting the speed of the reflected shock wave with the speed of the theoretically nonreactive reflected shock wave.These findings should serve as a reference for the detonation initiation technique in advanced detonation propulsion engines.

Ultrafast one-step synthesis of N and Ti^3＋ codoped TiO2 nanosheets via energetic material deflagration

An energetic-material （NAN3） deflagration method for preparing N- and Ti3＋-codoped TiO2 nanosheets （NT-TiO2） was developed. In this method, N radicals filled the crystal lattice, and Na clusters captured partial O from TiO2. The deflagration process was fast and facile and can be completed within 〈 I s after ignition. The obtained NT-TiO2 exhibited rough surfaces with nanopits and nanoholes. The doping concentration can be regulated by controlling the NaN3 addition. The NT-TiO2 samples showed significant enhancements in the visible-light absorption and photoelectric response. The simultaneously produced N radicals and Na clusters from NaN3 deflagration served as N sources and reduction agents, respectively. Additionally, the high deflagration temperature/ pressure improved the reactivity of N radicals and Na dusters. Thus, the present NaN3 deflagration method was demonstrated as an ultrafast and effective approach to fabricate NT-TiO2 with a visible-light response. The proposed NaN3 deflagration method allows the ultrafast synthesis of new functional materials via the efficient deflagration of energetic materials.

Detonation initiation developing from the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability

Detonation initiation resulting from the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability is investigated numerically in the configuration of the shock/spark-induced-deflagration interaction in a combustive gas mixture. Two-dimensional multi-species Navier-Stokes equations implemented with the detailed chemical reaction model are solved with the dispersion-controlled dissipative scheme. Numerical results show that the spark can create a blast wave and ignite deflagrations. Then, the deflagration waves are enhanced due to the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability, which provides detonation initiations with local environment conditions. By examining the deflagration fronts, two kinds of the initiation mechanisms are identified. One is referred to as the deflagration front acceleration with the help of the weak shock wave, occurring on the convex surfaces, and the other is the hot spot explosion deriving from the deflagration front focusing, occurring on the concave surfaces.

Experimental Study on Unconfined Vapor Cloud Explosion

An experimental system was setup to study the pressure field of unconfined vapor cloud explosions. The semi-spherical vapor clouds were formed by slotted 0.02mm polyethylene film. In the center of the cloud was an ignition electrode that met ISO6164 'Explosion Protection System' and NFPA68 'Guide for Venting of Deflagrations'. A data-acquisition system, with dynamic responding time less than 0.001s with 0.5% accuracy, recorded the pressure-time diagram of acetylene-air mixture explosion with stoichiometrical ratio. The initial cloud diameters varied from 60 cm to 300 cm. Based on the analysis of experimental data, the quantitative relationship is obtained for the cloud explosion pressure, the cloud radius and the distance from ignition point. Present results provide a useful way to evaluate the building damage caused by unconfined vapor cloud explosions and to determine the indispensable explosion grade in the application of multi-energy model.

Investigation of Detonative Combustion Characteristics

The pressure and deflagration to detonation transition(DDT)characteristics of acetylene and oxygen flame were studied in a detonation tube.The pressure history and the flame velocity along the tube were measured with high frequency pressure transducers and ion probes.By analyzing the data recorded in the experiment,the detonation wave pressure,post wave pressure and DDT distance were obtained,together with the effects of the initial pressure varying from 2×10^(4)Pa to 10^(5)Pa,equivalence ration from 0.3 to 1.0,and mixture concentration from 60%to 100%.It was found that the detonation pressure was decreased respectively with the decrease of initial pressure,equivalence ratio and mixture concentration,but the DDT distance was enlarged.The DDT distance was found particularly sensitive to mixture concentration.

Riemann problem of a Chapman-Jouguet combustion model for pressure-gradient system

In this paper,the Riemann problem of a Chapman-Jouguet combustion model for the pressure-gradient equations is considered.By analyzing in phase space,existence and uniqueness of the solution to the Riemann problem are obtained constructively under the global entropy conditions.

An integrated model for predicting the flame propagation in crimped ribbon flame arresters

Crimped ribbon flame arresters are important safety devices in the chemical industry, especially for the danger- ous situations. Although proper design of arresters by the numerical simulation method is promising, its reliabil- ity and accuracy are dependent upon the mathematical model. In this work, an integrated mathematical model for the microchannel in the crimped ribbon flame attesters was set up; the fluid flow behavior and the sensitiv- ities of four chemical kinetics mechanisms of propane-air on the accuracy were analysed. It is shown that turbu- lence is predominant in the microchannel of the crimped ribbon flame arresters under the defiagration and detonation conditions, and a new quenching criterion for the numerical simulation is proposed. The kinetics mechanism of Mansouri et al. among the four ones is the most accurate due to the best agreement of the pre- dicted outlet temperature at the experimental flameproof velocity with the autoignition temperature of propane-air. The species mass fraction profiles and the temperature distribution, which are too difficult to mea- sure due to the tiny dimension of the microchannel in experiments, are captured. The fundamental insights into chemical reactions and heat loss are well portrayed. It can be concluded that the integrated mathematical model established in this work can be used as a reliable tool for modeling, selecting and designing such type of crimped ribbon flame attesters with the propane-air medium in the future.

Generalized Riemann problem for gas dynamic combustion

The generalized Riemann problem for gas dynamic combustion in a neighborhood of the origin t 0 in the （x, t） plane is considered. Under the modified entropy conditions, the unique solutions are constructed, which are the limits of the selfsimilar Zeldovich-von Neumann-Dring （ZND） combustion model. The results show that, for some cases, there are intrinsical differences between the structures of the perturbed Riemann solutions and the corresponding Riemann solutions. Especially, a strong detonation in the corresponding Riemann solution may be transformed into a weak deflagration coalescing with the pre-compression shock wave after perturbation. Moreover, in some cases, although no combustion wave exists in the corresponding Riemann solution, the combustion wave may occur after perturbation, which shows the instability of the unburnt gases.

High explosive unexploded ordnance neutralization - Tallboy air bomb case study

On October 13,2020,on the fairway connecting the Polish Baltic ports ofSwinoujscie and Szczecin,an underwater hazardous object of historical origin in the form of the British deep penetration bomb Tallboy dropped during the bombing of the German cruiser"Lützow"in April 1945 was neutralized successfully.It is believed to be the first underwater action concerning this type of bomb,which has previously been neutralized on land in Europe(Germany,one confirmed case).The preparation of the operation,on an unprecedented scale at national,European and global level,took one year and included a series of projects related to clearing the space around the bomb from other identified UXO objects,international consultations,historical analyses,determination of the risk to residents and critical infrastructure in the event of an explosion of the bomb containing approximately 2400 kg of the TORPEX explosive(with an increased force equivalent to almost 3600 kg of TNT).The object was neutralized on spot at the depth of 12 m,near a ferry crossing,by specialists from the 41st Navy EOD Team from the 12th MCM Squadron(8th Coastal Defence Flotilla),using the Low Order Deflagration technique(underwater deflagration method).In the case discussed,there was an accumulation of unfavourable conditions which practically excluded the use of blow-in-situ explosive methods(BIP),as well as the extraction of the object and its transport to a military ground.After a partial deflagration of the explosive,the explosive was detonated(DDT).Estimates indicate that the deflagration level reached between 55 and 60%,which significantly reduced the strength and effects of the underwater explosion.

The Generalized Riemann Problem for Chaplygin Gas with Combustion

We study the generalized Riemann problem of the Chapman-Jouguet model for an ideal combustible Chaplygin gas. By analyzing the wave curves in the phase plane, we construct uniquely the solution of the generalized Riemann problem under the global entropy conditions. We find that although there is no combustion wave of the corresponding Riemann solution, the combustion wave may occur after perturbation which reveals the instability of the unburnt gas.

THE GENERALIZED RIEMANN PROBLEM FOR A SCALAR NONCONVEX COMBUSTION MODEL-THE PERTURBATION ON INITIAL BINDING ENERGY

In this article, we study the generalized Riemann problem for a scalar non- convex Chapman-Jouguet combustion model in a neighborhood of the origin （t 〉 0） on the （x, t） plane. We focus our attention to the perturbation on initial binding energy. The solutions are obtained constructively under the entropy conditions. It can be found that the solutions are essentially different from the corresponding Riemann solutions for some cases. Especially, two important phenomena are observed： the transition from detonation to deflagration followed by a shock, which appears in the numerical simulations [7, 27]; the transition from deflagration to detonation （DDT）, which is one of the core problems in gas dynamic combustion.

Study on the Detonation Danger of Solid Propellants

A measurement system to study shock initiation behavior of solid propellants was established experimentally. By using this system, the study on shock initiation to the recovered solid propellants with micro damage was performed, especially on the deflagration to denonation transition (DDT) process of solid propellants under both the strong and weak conditions of restriction. The experimental results show that there is a fully compression region in DDT process..

Wave Interactions for Chaplygin Gas with Combustion

The elementary wave interactions for the Chapman-Jouguet model with combustion are investigated. We obtain the unique solution of the initial value problem under the global entropy conditions. We analyze the elementary wave interactions in the phase plane and construct uniquely the solution of this initial value problem. It is found that the combustion wave solution of the corresponding Riemann may be extinguished after perturbation which shows that the unburnt gas is unstable.

Effect of actuating frequency on plasma assisted detonation initiation

Aiming at studying the influence of actuating frequency on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge, a loosely coupled method is used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogenoxygen mixture in a detonation tube at different actuating frequencies. Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process which is assisted by the plasma are analyzed. It is found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle are not changed by the actuating frequency. However, the concentration of every species decreases as the actuating frequency rises, and atom O is the most sensitive to this variation, which is related to the decrease of discharge power. With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube, the deflagration-todetonation transition（DDT） time and distance both increase as the actuating frequency rises, but the degree of effect on DDT development during flow field evolution is erratic. Generally, the actuating frequency affects none of the amplitude value of the pressure, temperature, species concentration of the flow field, and the combustion degree within the reaction zone.

中心锥体结构脉冲爆震火箭发动机初步实验

为了改善采用液态燃料的脉冲爆震火箭发动机内部燃料的雾化以及燃料混合物的掺混状况,采用了一种中心锥体结构.该结构发动机不采用Shchelkin螺旋增爆装置,而采用中心锥体结构、二级供应方式.采用航空煤油为燃料、压缩氧气为氧化剂、压缩氮气为隔离气体,在该结构脉冲爆震火箭发动机上获得了充分发展的爆震波并且能够在多循环条件下稳定工作.实验结果表明,该结构可以大大缩短DDT(deflagra-tion to detonation transition)距离,在实验条件下爆燃向爆震转变距离约为管径的5倍.较之同一管径采用Shchelkin螺旋增爆装置的脉冲爆震火箭发动机,该结构发动机的爆燃向爆震转变距离缩短了57.5%.

Numerical Investigation on Detonation Wave through U-bend

Pulse detonation engine (PDE) is expected for a next-generation propulsion system. PDE is a promising engine that can generates power and thrust by using intermittent detonation. Promotion of deflagration to detonation transition (below DDT) is a key issue to realize this system. PDE has experimentally been investigated, and it was confirmed that detonation tubes with U-shaped bends are useful for fast DDT. However, the mechanism of DDT promotion due to U-bends has not been well clarified. In the present study, the influence of a U-bend on detona-tion wave propagation is researched with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The numerical results show that detonation wave disappears once near the U-bend inlet and restarts after passing through it. In addition, it was found that the use of the U-bend with small channel width and curvature radius can induce fast DDT.