A Numerical Calculation of Two-Dimensional Steady-State Detonations by the Method of Characteristics

Abstract

This paper presents a method for finding the state of the detonation products for a plane detonation wave utilizing the two-dimensional steady-state hydrodynamics equations and the method of characteristics. It is shown that in those cases where the equation of state gives pressure along the adiabat as a function of density (only), the characteristic equations can be solved analytically in velocity space for the plane problem. A numerical method for the solution in coordinate space is then developed using the solution in velocity space in conjunction with the geometric relationship between characteristic curves in the two spaces. In this manner the difficulty encountered due to the coincidence of the detonation front and two characteristic curves in coordinate space is overcome. The derivations involved are included as appendices. The body of the paper describes the application of the technique for an ideal gas equation of state and for an equation of state developed by Mark Wilkins (UCRL-7797). A further application is described in which this solution is used to start a solution for a steady state detonation in cylindrical geometry. The results are reported for PBX 9404 in the form of graphs produced by the computing facilities on a cathode ray tube from the computer programs described.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 26, 1965
Accession Number
ADA384959

Entities

People

  • Gerald T. Richards

Organizations

  • University of California

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Continuum Mechanics
  • Differential Equations
  • Equations
  • Explosives
  • Geometry
  • Grids
  • Hugoniot Equations
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Ideal Gas Law
  • Integrals
  • Mathematics
  • Method Of Characteristics
  • Numbers
  • Plane Geometry
  • Two Dimensional

Readers

  • Calculus or Mathematical Analysis
  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Technical Research and Report Writing.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster