Reactive flow modeling of the polymer bonded explosive LX-17 double shock experiments

Abstract

Overdriven double shock experiments provide a measurement of the properties of the reaction product states of the 1-3-5-triamino-2-4-6trinitrobenzene-based explosive LX-17. These experiments used two flyer materials mounted on the end of a projectile to send an initial shock through the LX-17, followed by a second shock of a higher magnitude into the detonation products. Here, the experimental results are compared to 2D reactive flow modeling. A reactive flow model that describes only the kinetics of the LX-17 decomposition fails to accurately reproduce the decay of the first shock or the curvature or strength of the second shock. A new model is proposed in which the carbon condensate produced in the reaction zone is controlled by a kinetic rate. This allows the carbon condensate to be initially out of chemical equilibrium with the product gas. This new model reproduces the initial detonation peak and decay and matches the curvature of the second shock; however, it still over-predicts the strength of the second shock.