Analytical investigation of fireball dynamics and radiative heat damage in energetic explosions

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

The emergence of new energetic materials has significantly intensified the thermal damage effects at explosion sites, The traditional damage assessment methods face severe challenges. Static models used for thermal dose calculations rely on equivalence, failing to capture the dynamic characteristics of an explosive fireball. Furthermore, existing dynamic fireball models only characterize time as a variable, neglecting the energy characteristics. In this study, we obtain fireball diameter and central height data through thermal imaging which serve as essential inputs for our model construction. By integrating the geometric and physical characteristics of the explosion fireball, we develop a two-variable function model (time and equivalent) to predict changes in the fireball during its primary damage phase. The effective thermal region of the fireball is treated as a Lambertian body to derive an equivalent temperature. Using this model and equivalent temperature, the heat dose and corresponding damage effects of the fireball are calculated at five locations for four distinct equivalent masses using the Stefan-Boltzmann law. By applying the calculated thermal dose data to the pressure effect model in a static explosion field according to the explosion similarity law, we construct an equivalent damage model with an average error of 4.09%. This model, valid within a 1.17–4.76 m/kg1/3 range, reliably assesses thermal damage for high-energy materials. This method provides a better basis for the assessment of thermal damage caused by various types of explosions.