Experimental investigations of detonation initiation by hot jets in supersonic premixed flows

Abstract

A new method to initiate and sustain the detonation in supersonic flow is investigated. The reaction activity of coming flow may influence the result of detonation initiation. When a hot jet initiates a detonation wave successfully, there may exist two types of detonations. If the detonation velocity is greater than the velocity of coming flow, there will be a normal detonation here. Because of the influence of boundary layer separation, the upstream detonation velocity is much greater than the Chapman—Jouguet (CJ) detonation velocity. On the other hand, if the detonation velocity is less than the velocity of coming flow, an oblique detonation wave (ODW) will form. The ODW needs a continuous hot jet to sustain itself. If the jet pressure is lower than a certain value, the ODW will decouple. In contrast, the normal detonation wave can sustain itself without the hot jet.