Direct initiation of detonation in cryogenic gaseous H2-O2 mixtures

Abstract

Critical conditions for the direct initiation of self-sustained detonation in cryogenic hydrogen-oxygen mixtures are examined experimentally. These initial conditions are expected to depend mainly on four parameters: the equivalence ratio of the mixture, the amount of the initial energy deposition, the initial temperature and pressure of the mixture. These critical conditions are determined by fixing alternatively three of these parameters and varying the fourth one from subcritical to supercritical detonation conditions. Results are presented for initial pressuresP o and equivalence ratios Φ ranging from 0.3 to 1 bar and from 1 to 2 respectively, for the two initial temperaturesT o, 123 K and 293 K. These results indicate that for the lowest values of the initial pressure, a decrease of initial temperature may favour the onset of detonation. Whatever the initial conditions, the measured detonation pressures and velocities are in reasonably good agreement with the corresponding Chapman-Jouguet values computed using the ideal-gas equation of state.