Rotational Temperature of OH Radicals in Detonation Waves

Detonation Waves and Propulsion

The possibility of using a detonation wave as the key combustion system for supersonic propulsion is examined. A brief review of propagating detonations is provided first. This review emphasizes the unique and unstable nature of the coupling between reaction zone and shock waves that characterize detonations. The theory of idealized, steady, oblique detonation waves and their reaction zone stru...

Modelling detonation waves in heterogeneous energetic materials

The computation of detonation waves in heterogeneous explosives involves compressible multiphase mixtures due to the chemical decomposition of the energetic material as well as its heterogeneous initial formulation. Also material interfaces are present between the explosive and the surrounding inert or reactivematerials.Wedevelop anewmethod for the modelling of interface problems andmultiphasem...

Numerical Resolution of Pulsating Detonation Waves

Detonation waves induced by a confined wedge

An auto-ignition detonation phenomenon can be initiated by a wedge confined in a channel. A new, self-sustaining, normal detonation wave engine concept is proposed. The detonation processes were numerically modeled with a simplified two-dimensional wedged channel flow that was deemed to emulate a real three-dimensional configuration. The results showed that within certain ranges of incoming flo...

Detonation Initiation via Imploding Shock Waves

An imploding annular shock wave driven by a jet of air was used to initiate detonations inside a 76 mm diameter tube. The tube was filled with a test gas composed of either stoichiometric ethylene-oxygen or propane-oxygen diluted with nitrogen. The strength of the imploding shock wave and the sensitivity of the test gas were varied in an effort to find the minimum shock strength required for de...