Experimental Study of the Metal Foam Suppression Effect on the Gas Deflagration and Detonation

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study investigated the deflagration and detonation suppression effect by different thicknesses of metal foam. The results show that the gas explosion suppression effect of metal foam is related to the explosion stage and the metal foam thickness. In the deflagration stage, the flame could be quenched by 10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm thick metal foam. In the flame acceleration stage, the flame can only be quenched by the 30 mm thick metal foam. In the detonation stage, detonation could be completely quenched by 20 mm or 30 mm thick metal foam. Ten-millimeter-thick metal foam could make detonation stage convert into deflagration stage and overpressure decreases obviously. Different propagation mechanisms of deflagration and detonation lead to different suppression effects of foam metal.