On the dynamic detonation parameters in acetylene–oxygen mixtures with varying amount of argon dilution

In this investigation, the dynamic detonation parameters for stoichiometric acetylene–oxygen mixtures diluted with varying amount of argon are measured and analyzed. The experimental results show that the critical tube diameter and the critical energy for direct initiation of spherical detonations increase with the increase of argon dilution. The scaling behavior between the critical tube diameter d_c and the detonation cell size λ as well as the critical direct initiation energy E_c is systematically studied with the effect of argon dilution. The present results again validate that the relation d_c = 13λ holds for 0–30% argon diluted mixtures and breaks down when argon dilution increases up to 40%. It is found that the explosion length scaling of R_o ∼ 26λ becomes also invalid when the mixture contains approximately this same amount of argon dilution or more. This critical argon dilution is indeed close to that found from experiments in porous-walled tubes by Radulescu and Lee (2002) which exhibit a distinct transition in the failure mechanism. Cell size analysis in literature also indicates that the cellular detonation front starts to become more regular (or stable) when the argon dilution reaches more than 40–50%. Regardless of the degree of argon dilution or mixture sensitivity, the phenomenological model developed from the surface energy concept by Lee, which provides a relation that links the critical tube diameter and the critical energy remains valid. The present experimental results also follow qualitatively the observation from chemical kinetic and detonation instability analyses.     

Experimental investigation on the near detonation limits of propane/hydrogen/oxygen mixtures in a rectangular tube

In this paper, an experimental study on the near detonation limits for propane-hydrogen-oxygen is performed. Three mixtures (i.e., 8H₂–C₃H₈–9O₂, 4H₂–C₃H₈–7O₂ and 12H₂–C₃H₈–11O₂) are tested in a rectangular tube (52 mm × 32 mm). Photodiodes with regular intervals are mounted on the tube wall to measure the time of arrival of detonation waves, from which the detonation velocity is determined. Smoked foils are inserted into the tube to obtain the detonation cell pattern. The results indicate that well within the detonation limits, the detonation can propagate at a steady velocity. By reducing the initial pressure, the detonation velocity decreases gradually. Subsequently, the detonation fails as the initial pressure is below a critical pressure. The critical pressures for 8H₂–C₃H₈–9O₂, 4H₂–C₃H₈–7O₂ and 12H₂–C₃H₈–11O₂ mixtures are 4 kPa, 5 kPa and 6 kPa, and the corresponding detonation velocity deficits are 10%, 9%, 10%, respectively. The cellular detonation structures show that the cell size decreases with the decrease of the hydrogen concentration, and the cell structures are very irregular near the detonation limits.     

Wavelet pattern and self-sustained mechanism of gaseous detonation rotating in a coaxial cylinder

Gaseous detonation propagating in a coaxial cylinder was studied for hydrogen/oxygen/nitrogen mixtures numerically and experimentally. The numerical method used was based on the three-dimensional Euler equations with detailed finite-rate chemistry. Smoked foil measurement was performed to record the cellular structure of the detonation propagation. The results show that the calculated streak picture is in qualitative agreement with the picture recorded by a high speed streak camera from published literature. The three-dimensional flow field induced by the continuously rotating detonation is visualized and the distinctive features of the rotating detonations are clearly depicted. Due to the curvature of the annular tube, the size of cellular pattern along the concave wall is smaller than that along the convex wall. This implies that the detonation wave near the concave wall is convergent and therefore is stronger than that near the divergent convex wall. Also, the numerical simulations show three-dimensional rotating detonation structures, where display the special combined detonation.     

Detonability of natural gas–air mixtures

Direct initiation experiments were carried out in a 105 cm diameter tube to study detonation properties and evaluate the detonability limits for mixtures of natural gas (NG) with air. The natural gas was primarily methane with 1.5–1.7% of ethane. A stoichiometric methane–oxygen mixture contained in a large plastic bag was used as a detonation initiator. Self-supporting detonations with velocities and pressures close to theoretical CJ values were observed in NG–air mixtures containing from 5.3% to 15.6% of NG at atmospheric pressure. These detonability limits are wider than previously measured in smaller channels, and close to the flammability limits. Detonation cell patterns recorded near the limits vary from large cells of the size of the tube to spiral traces of spin detonations. Away from the limits, detonation cell sizes decrease to about 20 cm for 10% NG, and are consistent with existing data for methane–air mixtures obtained in smaller channels. Observed cell patterns are very irregular, and contain secondary cell structures inside primary cells and fine structures inside spin traces.     

Detonation behaviors of syngas-oxygen in round and square tubes

The present study reports the detonation behaviors of syngas-oxygen mixtures in three 2 m long tubes, including two circular tubes ($D$ = 32 mm and 18.5 mm, $D$ is the inner diameter) and a square tube ($H$ = 32 mm, $H$is the inner side). Three stoichiometric syngas-oxygen mixtures, i.e., CO+H₂+O₂, 2CO+H₂+1.5O₂, 3CO+H₂+2O₂ were used. Evenly spaced photodiodes were used to determine the detonation velocity while the soot foil technique was adopted to record the cellular structure. The results indicate that well with the limits, the detonation propagates at a steady velocity close to the Chapman-Jouguet value. The velocity deficits are more prominent at decreased initial pressure (equivalently, larger cell size and less sensitivity). At the limiting pressure, the velocity deficits of three mixtures in various tubes are approximate 14%–17%. The experimental velocity deficits were compared with a modified model based on Fay's theory, in which the cell size as well as the corresponding cell length are measured. The experimental velocity deficit is in excellent agreement with the theoretical prediction. The effective diameter, $D_e$, rather than the hydraulic diameter, is found to be a more appropriate parameter for the characterization of the detonation velocity in both round and square tubes. Further, a linear correlation between the normalized detonation velocity and ${(D_e·p_0)}^{?1}$ is observed. The cellular structure shows that the single-headed spin occurs in all tubes when the detonation limits are approached.     

Propagation characteristics of unstable detonation waves in a round tube with annular perturbation

The detonation propagation characteristics of the mixtures, 2H₂ + O₂+3Ar and CH₄ + 2O₂, were investigated. Accordingly, the mixtures were tested in round tube with inner diameter of D = 80 mm and annular tubes with widths of w = 25 mm, 15 mm, and 5 mm. The two mixtures represent stable mixture with regular cell pattern and unstable mixture with irregular cell pattern, respectively. Smoked foils were utilized to record cellular structure under various initial conditions. Subsequently, the length scale L_dsc was measured, which represents the length from the start of the test section to the position where the cellular structure changes drastically (the cell size obviously increases or the structure disappears). The results reveal that both mixtures can successfully propagate in round tube and annular tubes of 25 mm and 15 mm, but fail in 5 mm annular tube. The L_dsc value of 2H₂ + O₂ + 3Ar is higher than that of CH₄ + 2O₂ in 80 mm and 15 mm tubes, but it is opposite in 25 mm tube. Moreover, the relationship between L_dsc and hydraulic diameter D_H was analysed. For a given tube, the values of L_dsc and L_dsc/D_H increased when the initial pressure increased. And the variation trend of L_dsc and L_dsc/D_H of CH₄ + 2O₂ is steeper. Furthermore, the mixtures 2H₂ + O₂ + 3Ar and CH₄ + 2O₂ resulted in over-driven detonation in 15 mm and 25 mm annular tubes, respectively. The ratio between the total reaction length (sum of the induction length and exothermic length) and the hydraulic diameter (D_H/(Δ_i + Δ_e)) correspond to critical values of 18 for hydrogen-oxygen-argon and 6 for methane-oxygen, below which the detonation will fail.     

On the detonation propagation behavior in hydrogen-oxygen mixture under the effect of spiral obstacles

Detonation propagation velocity behavior and cellular structure of stoichiometric hydrogen-oxygen mixture in spiral obstacles with four roughness (ξ = 0.133, 0.231, 0.4, 0.625) are systematically examined, at the conditions outside-, near- and within the propagation limits. The experimental results indicate that, at p₀ = 10 kPa (outside the limits), spirals with roughness smaller than 0.4 facilitate the initiation of detonation, but ξ = 0.625 spiral causes the detonation quench earlier than that in smooth tube without spiral, and suggests it has prohibiting effect on the detonation propagation. At p₀ = 12 kPa (near the detonation limits), spirals with ξ = 0.133 and 0.231 extend the detonation limits and therefore they have the facilitating effect on the detonation propagation, but this positive effect is not obvious in the spiral with larger roughness (i.e., ξ = 0.4 and 0.625). As the initial pressure is higher than 15 kPa, under such condition detonations are well within the limits, the dual effects of promoting and prohibiting of the spiral on the detonation propagation are more obvious, which are confirmed by the cellular structures obtained from smoked foil. The ZND induction zone length (Δ_I) analysis confirms Δ_I is shorter at higher initial pressure, under this condition detonation is more sensitive and easier to survive from failure as it enters into the spiral section.     

Numerical study of acoustic coupling in spinning detonation propagating in a circular tube

Spinning detonations propagating in a circular tube were numerically investigated with a two-step reaction model by Korobeinikov et al. The time evolutions of the simulation results were utilized to reveal the propagation behavior of single-headed spinning detonation. Three distinct propagation modes, steady, unstable, and pulsating modes, are observed in a circular tube. The track angles on a wall were numerically reproduced with various initial pressures and diameters, and the simulated track angles of steady and unstable modes showed good agreement with those of the previous reports. In the case of steady mode, transverse detonation always couples with an acoustic wave at the contact surface of burned and unburned gas and maintains stable rotation without changing the detonation front structure. The detonation velocity maintains almost a CJ value. We analyze the effect of acoustic coupling in the radial direction using the acoustic theory and the extent of Mach leg. Acoustic theory states that in the radial direction transverse wave and Mach leg can rotate in the circumferential direction when Mach number of unburned gas behind the incident shock wave in the transverse detonation attached coordinate is larger than 1.841. Unstable mode shows periodical change in the shock front structure and repeats decoupling and coupling with transverse detonation and acoustic wave. Spinning detonation maintains its propagation with periodic generation of sub-transverse detonation (new reaction front at transverse wave). Corresponding to its cycle, whisker is periodically generated, and complex Mach interaction periodically appears at shock front. Its velocity history shows the fluctuation whose behavior agrees well with that of rapid fluctuation mode by Lee et al. In the case of pulsating mode, as acoustic coupling between transverse detonation and acoustic wave is not satisfied, shock structure of spinning detonation is disturbed, which causes failure of spinning detonation.     

Supersonic driven detonation dynamics for rotating detonation engines

In this paper we present the first exploration of detonation wave propagation dynamics in premixed supersonic flows using a novel rotating detonation engine (RDE) configuration. An RDE with a coupled linear extension, referred to as ρDE, is used to divide detonations traveling radially in the RDE into linearly propagating waves. A tangential propagating wave is directed down a modular tangential linearized extension to the engine for ease of optical diagnostics and hardware configuration investigations. A premixed Mach 2 supersonic linear extension is coupled to the ρDE to investigate the effects of varying crossflow configurations for detonation propagation, particularly the interaction between detonations and supersonic reactive mixtures. Detonation waves are generated at the steady operating frequency of the RDE and visualized using high speed schlieren and broadband OH* chemiluminescence imaging. The stagnation pressure was varied from over- to ideally-expanded supersonic regimes. Experimental analysis of detonation interaction with the supersonic regimes show that the detonation propagates freely in the ideally-expanded regime. Deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) occurs in the over-expanded regime. Based on the data collected, the DDT process favors supersonic flow with higher source pressures.     

The propagation mechanism of detonation wave in a round tube filled with larger blockage ratio orifice plates

In this study, the detonation propagation mechanisms for the stoichiometric hydrogen-oxygen mixture are explored systematically in a circular tube with 6-m in length and an inner diameter of 90-mm. The continuous orifice plates with BR = 0.93 are adopted to investigate the characteristics of detonation diffraction, failure and initiation. High-speed piezoelectric pressure transducers are used to obtain the average velocity, and the smoked foil technique is adopted to record the detonation cellular patterns. The results indicate that three various propagation regimes can be observed, i.e., steady detonation, quasi-detonation and fast flame. In the smooth tube, only the steady detonation and fast flame modes are seen. When the initial pressure is greater than the critical value, the detonation can propagate at about the theoretical CJ velocity. Near the critical pressure, a sudden velocity drop is observed. Of note is that the single-headed spin and double-headed detonation cannot occur because of the limitation of the aspect ratio. In the tube filled with obstacles, the averaged wave velocity is decayed severely. Only the mechanisms of the quasi-detonation and fast flame can be seen. In the quasi-detonation mode, the critical value of d/λ is greater than 7.36, which is far larger than 1. Two different detonation ignition regimes produced by the shock reflection from the wall are observed, i.e., the initiation positions occur in the vicinity of the tube wall and the surface of the orifice plate.     

Detonation limits in methane-hydrogen-oxygen mixtures: Dominant effect of induction length

New-concept detonation combustors, for example, rotating detonation engines (RDEs), motivate investigations of the phenomena and theory relevant to detonation limits. Because CH₄–H₂ binary fuel mixtures have excellent combustion performance in engines, it is interesting to investigate the application possibilities of such mixtures in advanced detonation engines. Therefore, the detonation characteristics (e.g., initiation, propagation and failure) and their mechanisms for methane-hydrogen mixtures under different thermodynamic conditions need further study. In this work, the physical connection between detonation limits and induction length (Δ_I) of detonation structures for CH₄–H₂–O₂ mixtures is investigated; the dominant effect of induction length on the detonation limits is examined. The results show that a single-headed spinning structure is a unique feature of detonation limits; hence, the detonation limits can be qualitatively estimated by this phenomenon. The relation between λ and Δ_I is proportional, and the proportionality factor is 34.62; this relation is applicable in methane/hydrogen and oxygen mixtures with various fuel contents. By scaling the critical pressure p_c with Δ_I near the detonation limits, the relation between them is shown to be an exponential function: Δ_I = 201.2·(1+p_c)^−2.1.     

Flame acceleration and DDT of hydrogen-oxygen gaseous mixtures in channels with no-slip walls

Hydrogen-oxygen flame acceleration and transition from deflagration to detonation (DDT) in channels with no-slip walls were studied theoretically and using high resolution simulations of 2D reactive Navier-Stokes equations, including the effects of viscosity, thermal conduction, molecular diffusion, real equation of state and a detailed chemical reaction mechanism. It is shown that in “wide” channels (D > 1 mm) there are three distinctive stages of the combustion wave propagation: the initial short stage of exponential acceleration; the second stage of slower flame acceleration; the third stage of the actual transition to detonation. In a thin channel (D < 1 mm) the flame exponential acceleration is not bounded till the transition to detonation. While velocity of the steady detonation waves formed in wider channels (10, 5, 3, 2 mm) is close to the Chapman-Jouguet velocity, the oscillating detonation waves with velocities slightly below the CJ velocity are formed in thinner channels (D < 1.0 mm). We analyse applicability of the gradient mechanism of detonation ignition for a detailed chemical reaction model to be a mechanism of the deflagration-to-detonation transition. The results of high resolution simulations are fully consistent with experimental observations of flame acceleration and DDT in hydrogen-oxygen gaseous mixtures.     

High speed turbulent deflagrations and transition to detonation in H2air mixtures

An experimental investigation on flame acceleration and transition to detonation in H₂air mixtures has been carried out in a tube which had a 5 cm cross-sectional diameter and was 11 m long. Obstacles in the form of a spiral coil (6 mm diameter tubing, pitch 5 cm, blockage ratio BR = 0.44) and repeated orifice plates spaced 5 cm apart with blockage ratios of BR = 0.44 and 0.6 were used. The obstacle section was 3 m long. The compositional range of H₂ in air extended from 10 to 45%, the initial pressure of the experiment was 1 atm, and the mixture was at room temperature. The results indicate that steady-state flame (or detonation) speeds are attained over a flame travel of 10–40 tube diameters. For H₂ ? 13% maximum flame speeds are subsonic, typically below 200 m/s. A sharp transition occurs at about 13% H₂ when the flame speed reaches supersonic values. A second transition to the so-called quasi-detonation regime occurs near the stoichiometric composition when the flame speed reaches a critical value of the order of 800 m/s. The maximum value of the averaged pressure is found to be between the normal C-J detonation pressure and the constant volume explosion value. Of particular interest is the observation that at a critical composition of about 17% H₂ transition to normal C-J detonation occurs when the flame exits into the smooth obstacle-free portion of the tube. For compositions below 17% H₂, the high speed turbulent deflagration is observed to decay in this portion of the tube. The detonation cell size for 17% H₂ is about 150 mm and corresponds closely to the value of πD that has been proposed to designate the onset of single-head spinning detonation, in this case for the 5 cm diameter tube used. This supports the limit criterion, namely, that for confined detonations in tubes, the onset of single-head spin gives the limiting composition for stable propagation of a detonation wave.     

Scaling-effect of explosion in H2/CH4/air mixtures

The scaling-effect of mixture explosion is an unresolved issue in explosion science. In this work, we carry out experimental measurements of explosion characteristics using hydrogen/methane/air (H₂/CH₄/air) mixtures in two tubes with lengths of 1.5 m and 60 m. The explosion overpressure of the mixtures increases exponentially with hydrogen mole fractions in the small tube, as expected. In contrast, explosion overpressure increases rapidly, causing detonation when hydrogen is added to the mixtures. Comparing measurements in both tubes, the explosion overpressure exhibits a clear scaling-effect dependence on the tube size. The scaling-effect cannot be explained by the aspect ratio (AR) of the tube. The analysis of the hotspot size, which is correlated with the ignition delay time of mixtures, is the critical factor governing the scaling-effect of explosion seen in a large tube.     

Detonation propagation characteristics for CH4-2H2-3O2 mixtures in a tube filled with orifice plates

In this study, the detonation propagation characteristics of stoichiometric CH₄-2H₂-3O₂ mixture are investigated comprehensively in a round tube with an inner diameter of 90-mm and 6-m in length. Three different orifice plates with the blockage ratios (BR) of 0.7 and 0.8 including circular, triangular and square orifice, are considered for the first time to investigate the effect of obstacle geometries on the detonation evolution. Eight high-speed piezoelectric pressure transducers are mounted on the outer wall to obtain the detonation velocity while the smoked foil technique is adopted to record the detonation cellular patterns. The results indicate that well within the limit, the detonation can propagate at about the theoretical CJ velocity (V_CJ). Near the limit, the velocity deficit is sharply enhanced but the detonation still can propagate at about 0.6V_CJ, which seems to be a universal phenomenon before the failure of the detonation. In the smooth tube, a sudden velocity drop and the single-headed spin can be seen near the critical condition, and the critical pressure (P_c) is 3 kPa. In the tube filled with obstacles, the effect of obstacle geometries on the detonation transmission can be ignored approximately for the BR = 0.7 case, and the critical pressures are increased to 7, 7 and 10 kPa, respectively. In the case of BR = 0.8, the effect of the orifice plates structures on the detonation propagation becomes more significant. The square orifice has the most serious impact on the detonation transmission, followed by triangular ones and the round hole has the least impact. The critical pressures are sharply enhanced to 10, 12 and 18 kPa, respectively. Finally, the effective diameter (d_eff) and the characteristic parameter (L) are introduced to analyze the critical condition of the detonation propagation. The critical condition can quantified as d_eff/λ > 1 and L/λ > 7 where λ is the detonation cell size.     

Experimental study on the detonation propagation behaviors through a small-bore orifice plate in hydrogen-air mixtures

In this study, the regimes of detonation transmission through a single orifice plate were investigated systematically in a 6-m length and 90-mm inner diameter round tube. A series of experiments on the detonation propagation mechanisms in hydrogen-air mixtures were performed. A single obstacle with different orifice size (d) from 10 to 60 mm was adopted to study the effects of the induced perturbations on the detonation propagation. Here, the thickness of orifice plate (δ) was fixed at 10.33 mm. Detonation velocity was determined from the time-of-arrival (TOA) of the detonation wave recorded by eight high-speed piezoelectric pressure transducers (PCB102B06). Detonation cellular size was obtained by the smoked foil technique. The characteristic of detonation velocity evolution were quantitatively analyzed after it passes through a single obstacle, and particular attention was paid to the cases for which the blockage ratio (BR) is greater than 0.9, i.e., the cases of small hole diameter of d < 25 mm. The experimental results showed that, in a smooth tube, only super-critical condition and sub-critical condition can be observed. After the orifice plate is introduced into the tube, critical condition occurs. The detonation re-initiation with distinct cellular structures was experimentally observed. Of note is that when the blockage ratio (BR) values in the range of 0.802–0.96, it was easier to detonate at the fuel-lean side. Finally, the critical condition for detonation propagation through an orifice plate was quantified as d/λ > 1 where λ is the detonation cell size.     

Dynamic response and crack propagation of pre-flawed square tube under internal hydrogen-oxygen detonation

With a validated fluid-structure-fracture coupling approach, this paper studied the dynamic response and crack propagation of pre-flawed square tube under internal hydrogen-oxygen detonation. Fracture of tube was judged by a bivariate failure criterion derived from the underlying failure mechanism at high strain rate conditions. A programed burn approach based on the CJ theory was applied to simulate gaseous detonation. The coupling between detonation wave and tube was realized by penalty contact algorithm with an improved contact stiffness calculation formula. It was demonstrated that the peak pressure at tube edge is 29% higher than that at the middle of tube face. The dominant crack driving force comes from the specific vibration and deformation modes of square tube, where the deformed round section of tube corresponds to the maximum stress wave that travels behind the flexural waves on the tube. Above mechanism makes the backward cracks branch or turn before the forward cracks and the speeds of front and back branch cracks comparable to each other, which is opposite or different from the cases of round tubes. The crack behaviors with different initial flaw locations and detonation pressures were summarized and identified in detail. The forward crack speed can be up to 900 m/s, while the backward crack speeds are generally 65%–85% of above and the branch cracks run at about 100 m/s. In addition, the crack speed has a certain increase immediately after crack branching or turning. Among the three initial flaw location cases, the tube with initial flaw at the middle of face is most resistant to crack propagation under internal detonations.     

管道截面突缩对爆轰波起爆特性的影响

为研究管道截面突缩对爆轰波起爆特性的影响,在突缩比为5:3的截面突缩管道及直管内对不同初始压力下甲烷氧气预混气体的起爆特性进行了实验研究,利用离子探针获得管道内火焰传播速度,并通过二维数值模拟探究了3种不同突缩比的截面突缩管道内火焰及压力的传播特性.实验结果表明,截面突缩管道内爆轰波起爆距离随着初始压力的降低而逐渐增加...     

The influence of heat transfer and friction on the impulse of a detonation tube

In the present study, we experimentally and numerically investigated the influence of heat transfer and friction on the performance of a single-shot detonation tube open at one end. Two kinds of specific impulse measurement were carried out with various tube lengths and levels of surface roughness, one by using a ballistic pendulum arrangement and the other by integrating the pressure history measured at the thrust wall. These measurements revealed the degree to which potential impulse can be exploited by the detonation tube after the impulse losses due to various wall loss mechanisms such as heat transfer and friction. The detonation tube obtained 89%, 70%, and 64% of the theoretical ideal impulse for electropolished tubes at a ratio of tube length to diameter (L/D) of 49, 103, and 151, respectively. The impulse losses due to shear stress on the side wall of the detonation tube were found to have a dominant influence on the performance of the detonation tubes of L/D = 103 and 151, but the loss was remarkably small for L/D = 49 relative to that of the longer tubes. In addition to the experiments, a simplified one-dimensional gas-dynamic model was developed by considering heat transfer and friction as wall loss mechanisms and validated by the experimental results. This simplified model was found to predict the experimental results very well, especially in the range of L/D 103–151.