Fundamental Aspects of Unconfined Explosions

Abstract

Blast wave initiation of detonation in a completely homogeneous cloud is considered. The self similar character of strong blast waves and Chapman- Jouguet detonation waves is used to arrive at simplified closed form solutions for the generation of ground impulse and dynamic impulse, up to the time that the detonation arrives at the edge of the cloud. The dependence of impulse on fuel properties and cloud geometry is predicted. The influence of side relief at the top of the cloud is considered. Experimental studies are described which investigate the initiation, transition, and quasi-steady propagation processes associated with blast initiated, cylindrical detonation waves. Experiments were conducted with all gaseous and heterogeneous fuel-air mixtures wherein a specially designed sectored shock tube was employed. A complete volumetric range of MAPP (Methyl acetylene, propane, propadiene)-air mixtures was investigated. some results on the breakup and ignition of single fuel drops, when subjected to strong blast waves, are presented.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1974
Accession Number
ADB001218

Entities

People

  • Chenming Hu
  • J. A. Nicholls
  • K. Kearney
  • M. Sichel
  • R. Desaro
  • R. S. Fry

Organizations

  • University of Michigan

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Products
  • Detonation Waves
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Fuel Air Explosives
  • Geometry
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Ignition
  • Mach Number
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Shock Tubes
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.