Deflagration-to-detonation Transition Process Research Articles

Effect of fluidic obstacles on flame acceleration and DDT process in a hydrogen-air mixture

Using solid obstacles to accelerate the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) process induces additional thrust loss, and fluidic obstacles can alleviate this problem to a certain extent. A detailed simulation is conducted to investigate the effects of multiple groups of fluidic obstacles on the flame acceleration and DDT process under different initial velocities and gas types. The results show that, initially, the propagation of reflected shock wave formed by jet impingement is opposite to the flame acceleration direction, thus increasing the initial jet velocity will hinder the flame acceleration. Later, the vortex structure and enhanced turbulence can promote flame acceleration. As the flame accelerates, the virtual blockage ratio of the fluidic obstacles decreases, and increasing initial jet velocity or using reactive jet gases both affect the virtual blockage ratio. Further, increasing initial jet velocity or using reactive jet gases can shorten the detonation initiation time and distance. Compared with solid obstacles, it is concluded that fluidic obstacles can achieve faster detonation initiation with a smaller blockage ratio. Overall, the detonation phenomena in this study are all triggered by hot spots formed by the interaction between reflected waves and distorted flame, but the formation of reflected waves varies.

Numerical investigation of the effect of reactive gas jets on the flame acceleration and DDT process

Jet obstacles can quickly induce the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) process and reduce the thrust loss of an engine. However, there are few studies on the use of combustible premixed gases as the reactive jet obstacle. Based on the OpenFOAM platform, a detailed numerical investigation of the flame acceleration and DDT process is carried out with different initial jet velocities and the number of jet obstacles. The results show that, although the stronger flame generated by the reactive jet obstacles will reduce the virtual blockage ratio to a greater extent, the turbulence and combustion heat release effect generated by them still significantly promote the flame acceleration. In terms of flame acceleration, initially, increasing the initial jet velocity has no obvious effect on the flame acceleration. Later, turbulence and combustion heat release begin to dominate the flame acceleration and significantly promote the flame acceleration. Since the jets in this study adopt the same combustible premixed gases, increasing the number of reactive jet obstacles downstream does not improve the upstream flame acceleration. In DDT, increasing the initial velocity of the reactive jet can improve the detonation initiation, but the effect of the obstacle number on DDT is greatly affected by the initial jet velocity. Specifically, at a low initial jet velocity, more jet obstacles can significantly promote the detonation initiation, while at a high initial jet velocity, the enhanced turbulence caused by the jet is the dominant factor for the flame acceleration. Therefore, compared with the number of jet obstacles, the detonation initiation process of the premixed gases is more sensitive to the change in the initial jet velocity.

Eulerian–Lagrangian modeling of deflagration to detonation transition in n-decane/oxygen/nitrogen mixtures

In this work, to promote deflagration to detonation transition (DDT), a designed hot jet in a pre-detonator is produced to initiate detonations in the main detonation tube. We perform two-dimensional simulations of the DDT process for low-volatile fuel (n-decane) mixed with nitrogen and oxygen based on the Eulerian–Lagrangian approach. The effects of fuel atomization, vaporization, and shock focusing on the flame acceleration and DDT are discussed under different nitrogen dilution ratio and droplet size conditions. The results show that the flame acceleration process can be divided into slow and fast deflagration stages. Additionally, initiation times are mainly determined by the fuel atomization and evaporation in the slow deflagration stage, which dominates the entire DDT time. Furthermore, there are different intensities of hot jets rather than stable detonation waves formed at the pre-detonator exit. Moreover, local decoupling and re-initiation events are detected near the internal wall of the U-bend, inducing the overdriven detonation decaying into stable detonation waves in the smooth tube. The results also demonstrate that the detonation pressure and velocity decrease by 13.56% and 12.55%, respectively, as the nitrogen dilution ratio increases from 0.5 to 2. In particular, as the nitrogen dilution ratio continued to increase to 2.25, the development in DDT is similar, but the jet intensity is significantly weakened. While as the droplet size increases from 10 to 40 μm, the detonation pressure and velocity decrease only by 2.69% and 1.49%, respectively.

Flame acceleration and DDT in a channel with fence-type obstacles: Effect of obstacle shape and arrangement

Experiments and numerical simulations were conducted to study the effects of obstacle shape and arrangement on the flame acceleration and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in an obstructed channel filled with a stoichiometric hydrogen–oxygen mixture. Two different shapes and arrangements of fence-type obstacles with the same blockage area were considered: continuous triangular and discrete rectangular obstacles. In the experiments, high-speed schlieren photography was used to record the flame acceleration and DDT process with a blockage ratio of 0.5. In the calculations with the different blockage ratios, a high-order numerical algorithm was used to solve the multidimensional, fully compressible, reactive Navier–Stokes equations coupled to a calibrated single-step chemical-diffusive model. The quantitative agreement between the calculations and experiments allows a detailed analysis of the DDT mechanism and the influence of obstacle shape/arrangement using the numerical results. The results show that the differences in the flame acceleration and distance to DDT between the triangular and rectangular obstacle arrays are closely related to the blockage ratio. For a low blockage ratio (br<0.5), flame accelerates faster and DDT occurs in a shorter time in the channel with the triangular obstacles because the inclined surfaces of the triangular obstacles allow stronger flame-vortex interactions and are more favorable to detonation survival once a detonation is initiated in the gap between obstacles. Nevertheless, for a high blockage ratio (br>0.5), the lateral triangle surfaces become steeper, and the advantages of triangular obstacles for promoting DDT become less effective. In addition, the triangles have a more significant weakening effect on the leading shock, while the rectangular obstacles allow the formation of Mach stems. These effects make the rectangular obstacles with a high blockage ratio more conducive to the occurrence of DDT than their triangular counterparts.

Flame acceleration and onset of detonation in inhomogeneous mixture of hydrogen-air in an obstructed channel

Flame acceleration (FA) and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in combustible premixed gases is a complex process involving the flow and combustion phenomena. Practically, the combustible premixed gases are often inhomogeneous. The numerical study aims to explore the effects of different solid obstacle distribution patterns on the FA and DDT process in the inhomogeneous concentration field. Results show that the shape of detonation wave is arc-shaped due to the inhomogeneous hydrogen concentration, and the detonation initiation process can be classified into three types: i) detonation induced by the coupling of the flame surface and the high-pressure zone; ii) detonation induced by the interaction between flame surface and reflected shock wave; iii) detonation induced by the interaction between the oblique shock wave or Mach stem and obstacles in the flow field. Also, this study finds that the flame evolutions have experienced four velocity augmentation regions before the detonation initiation. Further, the rich hydrogen content in the aperture and the higher unilateral blockage ratio can both promote flame acceleration, and further shorten the run-up time of the DDT.

Flame–turbulence interactions during flame acceleration using solid and fluid obstacles

A combination of solid and transverse jet obstacles is proposed to trigger flame acceleration and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT). A numerical study of this approach is performed by solving the reactive Navier–Stokes equations deploying an adaptive mesh refinement technique. A detailed hydrogen–air reaction mechanism with 12 species and 42 steps is employed. The efficiency and mechanisms of the combined obstacles on the flame acceleration are investigated comprehensively. The effects of multiple jets, jet start time, and jet stagnation pressure on the DDT process are studied. Results show that there is a 22.26% improvement in the DDT run-up time and a 33.36% reduction in the DDT run-up distance for the combined obstacles compared to that having only solid obstacles. The jet acts as an obstruction by producing a suitable blockage ratio and introducing an intense turbulent region due to the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. This leads to dramatic flame–turbulence interactions, increasing the flame surface area dramatically. The dual jet produces mushroom-like vortices, leading to a significantly stretched flame front and intensive Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities, and therefore, these features produce a high flame acceleration. As the jet operation time decreases, the jet obstacle almost changes its role from both physical blockage ratio and turbulence and vorticity generator to a physical blockage ratio. There is a moderate jet stagnation pressure that reduces the run-up time to detonation and run-up distance to detonation in the obstacle-laden chamber. While further increasing the jet stagnation pressure, it does not have a positive effect on shortening the detonation transition.

Ignition and deflagration-to-detonation transition modes in ethylene/air mixtures behind a reflected shock

Dynamics of ethylene autoignition and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) are first numerically investigated in a one-dimensional shock tube using a reduced chemistry including 10 species and 10 reactions. Different combustion modes are investigated through considering various premixed gas equivalence ratios (0.2 − 2.0) and incident shock wave Mach numbers (1.8–3.2). Four ignition and DDT modes are observed from the studied cases, i.e., no ignition, deflagration combustion, detonation after reflected shock, and deflagration behind the incident shock. For detonation development behind the reflected shock, three autoignition hot spots are formed. The first one occurs at the wall surface after the re-compression of the reflected shock and contact surface, which further develops to a reaction shock because of “the explosion in the explosion” regime. The other two are off the wall, respectively, caused by the reflected shock/rarefaction wave interaction and reaction induction in the compressed mixture. The last hot spot develops to a reaction wave and couples with the reflected shock after a DDT process, which eventually leads to detonation combustion. For deflagration development behind the reflected shock, the wave interactions, wall surface autoignition hot spot as well as its induction of reaction shock are qualitatively similar to the mode of detonation after incident shock reflection, before the reflected shock/rarefaction wave collision point. However, only one hot spot is induced after the collision, which also develops to a reaction wave but cannot catch up with the reflected shock. For deflagration behind the incident shock, deflagration combustion is induced by the incident shock compression whereas detonation occurs after the shock reflection. The chemical timescale increases after the reflected shock/contact surface collision, whereas decreases behind the incident and reflected shocks, as well as after the reflected shock/rarefaction wave interaction. Therefore, mixture reactivity behind the reflected shock is weakened by the contact surface, but is intensified by the rarefaction wave. The multi-dimensionality characteristics, including reflected shock/boundary layer interactions, reflected shock bifurcation, destabilization, and detonation, are further present in a two-dimensional configuration. Planar autoignition occurs because of reflected shock compression and detonation combustion is formed first in the central region due to the collision of the reflected shock wave/reflected compression wave. The left and right bifurcations of the separation region in the wall boundary layer are then sequentially ignited.

Mechanistic insights into the initial explosion in the deflagration-to-detonation transition

This work presents an imaging study of the complex and often overlooked early-onset mechanisms of the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT). Columns of granular octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) doped with tungsten tracer particles are ignited thermally by hot wire and the resulting reactions are studied via high-speed X-ray radiography utilizing the Diamond Light Source synchrotron. The observed results provide insights into the initial development of the DDT process, resulting in a proposed mechanism for the slow initial steps in DDT for thermally ignited, low bulk-density granular explosive contained in a quasi-one dimensional tube configuration. In order to clarify the proposed mechanism, the terms preferential flow channel and matrix burning are adapted from the soil mechanics and hydrology literature to further elucidate the role of convective burning in DDT. The proposed mechanism helps to clarify the ongoing debate on the transport of gases in the Baer–Nunziato and reduced Baer–Nunziato models and suggests that applicability of each interpretation depends on which step in the mechanism is being described.

Investigation of the effect of turbulence induced by double non-reactive gas jet on the deflagration-to-detonation transition

Jet-in-crossflow (JICF) is proved to be advantageous to accelerate flame propagation and stimulate the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) process in the recent decade. Studies focused on the performance of the jet of combustible mixture or reactive gas on facilitating the DDT process are carried out, and the results show that the combustible JICF can promote the flame transition to detonation efficiently. Although most investigations attribute the ability of the JICF on promoting DDT to the turbulent effect induced by the jet, the combustion-enhancement effect of the jet medium is seldom considered. In our previous work, it is proposed that the non-reactive gas jet in an optimal condition can accelerate flame propagation and promote the precursor shock wave formation. Hence, the performance of the multi-jet of non-reactive gas on facilitating the DDT process is worth investigating. In this paper, three different double jet placement methods are designed: parallel, staggered, and opposite positioned, and their performances on accelerating flame propagation and promoting the DDT process are investigated systematically. The results indicate that the staggered jet can accelerate the flame to detonation within a short run-up distance whereas the parallel jet and the opposite jet can only make the flame accelerate slightly. The schlieren images of flame evolution affected by double jet indicate that the complicated reactivity gradients generate on the flame surface while the flame is disturbed by the double jet. The interaction between the staggered jet and the flame induces local explosions, which results in a prominent increase of the flame area and a large volumetric burning rate. For the opposite jet, its negative effect of combustion-inhibition of the aggregated CO2 overwhelms the positive effect of turbulence-enhancement on the flame acceleration.

Numerical simulation of the deflagration to detonation transition behavior in explosives based on the material point method

The problem of the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) in explosives has been concerned seriously for many years, but the existing numerical models have different defects. It is difficult for them to accurately and quantitatively describe the DDT process of explosives under complex conditions (such as different constraint conditions). On the basis of the material point method, the DDT numerical model of explosives under complex conditions is established by using the heat balance equation, EOS of JWL, EOS of Virial and Lee-Tarver equation in this paper. In the model, the combustion reaction and detonation reaction of explosives can be described, and the influence of constraint condition on the DDT process of explosives is considered. Meanwhile, DDT critical condition of explosives and the judgment method of the starting position of explosive detonation reaction are given. The model is used to simulate the DDT process of COM B explosive constrained by steel tube in this paper. The simulation results show that the stable detonation velocity is about 7700 m/s, the stable detonation pressure is about 0.325 Mbar, and the induced detonation distance is 30.2 cm. Analysis found that the detonation reaction of COM B explosive occurred in the incomplete combustion area. The simulation results are in agreement with the experimental results in literature, which verifies the correctness of the model proposed by this paper.

Deflagration to detonation transition in weakly confined conditions for a type of potentially novel green primary explosive: Al/Fe2O3/RDX hybrid nanocomposites

The properties of the combustion and deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) of Al/Fe2O3/RDX hybrid nanocomposites, a type of potentially novel lead-free primary explosives, were tested in weakly confined conditions, and the interaction of Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite and RDX in the DDT process was studied in detail. Results show that the amount of the Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite has a great effect on the DDT properties of Al/Fe2O3/RDX nanocomposites. The addition of Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite to RDX apparently improves the firing properties of RDX. A small amount of Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite greatly increases the initial combustion velocity of Al/Fe2O3/RDX nanocomposites, accelerating their DDT process. When the contents of Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite are less than 20 wt%, the DDT mechanisms of Al/Fe2O3/RDX nanocomposites follow the distinct abrupt mode, and are consistent with that of RDX, though their DDT processes are different. The RDX added into the Al/Fe2O3 nanothermite increases the latter's peak combustion velocity and makes it generate the DDT when the RDX content is at least 10 wt%. RDX plays a key role in the shock compressive combustion, the formation and the properties of the DDT in the flame propagation of nanocomposites. Compared with RDX, the fast DDT of Al/Fe2O3/RDX nanocomposites could be obtained by adjusting the chemical constituents of nanocomposites.

Numerical investigation of three deflagration-to-detonation transition conditions related to the velocity of the spontaneous reaction wave

In this work, the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) process in a tube filled with quiescent and stoichiometric hydrogen/oxygen mixture is numerically simulated by a detailed chemical reaction model together with a high-resolution adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) mesh system. Then the flow field is analyzed in detail. It is found that for the onset of detonation in a DDT process there are three essential conditions related to the velocity of the spontaneous reaction wave DSpRW. The first condition is that on a hot spot the DSpRW should be slower than the speed of the Chapman–Jouguet (CJ) detonation wave DCJ to make sure that a spontaneous shock wave could arise originating from the spontaneous reaction wave. The spontaneous shock wave and the spontaneous reaction wave have conspicuous positive correlation to accelerate the spontaneous reaction wave to be faster than the local sound speed, which is the second DDT condition. With this condition the spontaneous reaction wave could catch up with its associated spontaneous shock wave and implement a coupling of the gasdynamics and the chemical energy release. This process is in line with Lee's SWACER idea, while throughout the process the spontaneous reaction wave propagates mainly through the Zel'dovich's reactivity gradients mechanism. Meanwhile, the gas velocity Vg is also essential to maintain the above two conditions and the resultant velocity meets the relation ∥DSpRW+Vg∥≥DCJ, which is the third condition. Distinctly this settles the wave speed gap between deflagration and detonation. More importantly, gas velocity plays an important role especially for the pressure build-up. The most important expressive differences between CJ deflagration and CJ detonation are the gas velocities of both the reactants and products as well as the pressure build-up. When these three relations successfully trigger a DDT and get a detonation wave, they still hold in the resulting detonation wave. They are delicately inherited as the inherent characters of the (detonation) wave. Formerly they are preconditioning-sustaining in the DDT process, and now they become self-sustaining in the detonation wave. Besides, the important role of the progress ratio of the induction period ε is emphasized for a spontaneous propagation.

Experimental and numerical investigation on flame propagation and transition to detonation in curved channel

The Deflagration to Detonation Transition (DDT) process in a curved channel was numerically and experimentally investigated for stoichiometric ethylene/oxygen and acetylene/oxygen/argon mixtures. The numerical method was based on the two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations with detailed chemical mechanisms. Flame propagation through the curved channel was observed using a high-speed camera. Four distinctive flame patterns were identified, appearing in the following order: spherical flame, finger flame, tongue-like flame, and detonation. The development of the tongue-like flame occupied most of time of the DDT process and played an important role in the onset of detonation. The formation of the tongue-like flame was analyzed in detail and its interactions with boundary layers enhanced the flame surface as well as the flame velocity. The modes of detonation initiation in irregular and regular cellular detonation systems were compared. Although the local explosion always occurred at the outer wall regardless of the mixture type, the detonation was caused by the amplification of instabilities for irregular system at the outer region of the tongue-like flame, whereas shock focusing-ignition occurred at the outer wall for regular system. Furthermore, the DDT run-up distance LDDT was shorter for the irregular system than for the regular system with the same detonation sensitivity.

Role of O3 addition in the deflagration-to-detonation transition of an ethylene–oxygen mixture in a macroscale tube

Deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in a macroscale tube is investigated experimentally for stoichiometric ethylene–oxygen with O3 (ozone) addition. The effect of O3 addition on the DDT process is studied, including its dependence on initial pressure. This kinetic effect of ozone addition was investigated by examining the influence of ozone self-decomposition and ethylene ozonolysis on ignition delay time. It was found that O3 addition promotes DDT, while excessive O3 addition has a negative effect on DDT. Consequently, there is a critical O3 addition effect which depends strongly on initial pressure. For a lower initial pressure, kinetic effects of O3 addition are more obvious.

Effects of inert gas jet on the transition from deflagration to detonation in a stoichiometric methane-oxygen mixture

Detonation is an energetic combustion mode augmenting high flow momentum and thermodynamic efficiency, it has been applied in detonation engines, such as pulse detonation engines (PDEs) and rotating detonation engines (RDEs), they have become potential aerospace propulsion equipment. Recently, fluidic jet-in-cross flow (JICF) has been demonstrated experimentally and numerically that can accelerate the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) process. Nonetheless, most of previous studies focused on the jets using combustible mixture or oxygen, which may bring additional risk for turbulence-generated system in detonation engines. In this study, a more safe and controllable inert gas (i.e., Ar) is applied for JICF, experiments are carried out to investigate effects of argon jet as an enhancement method on promoting the DDT in a stoichiometric methane-oxygen mixture. The effects of local argon concentration, turbulence intensity and injection position on the DDT process are systematically examined. Two-dimensional numerical simulations are also performed to elucidate the details of the injection evolution. The experimental results show that turbulence generated by the argon injection can promote flame acceleration and the onset of detonation only in the fast deflagration regime. The enhancing effect is more prominent at higher turbulence intensity by increasing jet injection pressure and shorter injection time. Too long injection duration increases argon local concentration that leads to an adverse effect prohibiting the DDT occurrence. During the initial laminar flame acceleration, referred to as the slow deflagration regime, no enhancement by the argon jet on DDT can be observed. By looking numerically at the flow structure of the argon jet, the vortical features enhance the transport and mixing between reactants and products. The interaction between the reactive travelling wave and the jet structure further induces turbulence and thus accelerates the chemical reaction rate. With the time elapsed, the injected argon entrains largely and dilutes the ambient combustible mixture, and restrains the DDT. Furthermore, a novel dimensionless criterion and a characteristic parameter Turc are proposed, quantitatively analyzing the dominate mechanism in flame propagation and the initial stage of DDT as inert jet is introduced.

Supersonic driven detonation dynamics for rotating detonation engines

In this paper we present the first exploration of detonation wave propagation dynamics in premixed supersonic flows using a novel rotating detonation engine (RDE) configuration. An RDE with a coupled linear extension, referred to as ρDE, is used to divide detonations traveling radially in the RDE into linearly propagating waves. A tangential propagating wave is directed down a modular tangential linearized extension to the engine for ease of optical diagnostics and hardware configuration investigations. A premixed Mach 2 supersonic linear extension is coupled to the ρDE to investigate the effects of varying crossflow configurations for detonation propagation, particularly the interaction between detonations and supersonic reactive mixtures. Detonation waves are generated at the steady operating frequency of the RDE and visualized using high speed schlieren and broadband OH* chemiluminescence imaging. The stagnation pressure was varied from over- to ideally-expanded supersonic regimes. Experimental analysis of detonation interaction with the supersonic regimes show that the detonation propagates freely in the ideally-expanded regime. Deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) occurs in the over-expanded regime. Based on the data collected, the DDT process favors supersonic flow with higher source pressures.

Optical Measurement of Fluid Motion in Semi-Valveless Pulse Detonation Combustor with High-Frequency Operation

ABSTRACTThe purge layer of a semi-valveless pulse detonation cycle (PDC) needs to be minimized for operating at a gas-dynamic upper frequency limit. Therefore, it is essential to better understand the process of burned gas backflow for minimizing the purge layer thickness. The flow field of the semi-valveless PDC was visualized to illustrate the movement of burned gas. A combustor of length of 95 mm with a 10-mm-square cross section was used. Supercritical ethylene and oxygen gas were used as fuel and oxidizer, respectively, and the operation frequency was 604 Hz. The unsteady refilling process of the detonable mixture was modeled by an isentropic flow. In addition, the detailed burned gas blowdown process with deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) and the backflow were captured. It was shown that the retonation wave generated by the DDT process was the primary trigger of the burned gas backflow. When the duration required for the DDT process was sufficiently shorter than that of the burned gas blowdown process, it was found the latter could be reproduced with approximately 90% accuracy by one-dimensional numerical analysis without the DDT process.

Numerical simulation and validation of flame acceleration and DDT in hydrogen air mixtures

Combustion of hydrogen can take place in different modes such as laminar flames, slow and fast deflagrations and detonations. As these modes have widely varying propagation mechanisms, modeling the transition from one to the other presents a challenging task. This involves implementation of different sub-models and methods for turbulence-chemistry interaction, flame acceleration and shock propagation. In the present work, a unified numerical framework based on OpenFOAM has been evolved to simulate such phenomena with a specific emphasis on the Deflagration to Detonation Transition (DDT) in hydrogen-air mixtures. The approach is primarily based on the transport equation for the reaction progress variable. Different sub-models have been implemented to capture turbulence chemistry interaction and heat release due to autoignition. The choice of sub-models has been decided based on its applicability to lean hydrogen mixtures at high pressures and is relevant in the context of the present study. Simulations have been carried out in a two dimensional rectangular channel based on the GraVent experimental facility. Numerical results obtained from the simulations have been validated with the experimental data. Specific focus has been placed on identifying the flame propagation mechanisms in smooth and obstructed channels with stratified initial distribution. In a smooth channel with stratified distribution, it is observed that the flame surface area increases along the propagation direction, thereby enhancing the energy release rate and is identified to be the key parameter leading to strong flame acceleration. When obstacles are introduced, the increase in burning rate due to turbulence induced by the obstacles is partly negated by the hindrance to the unburned gases feeding the flame. The net effect of these competing factors leads to higher flame acceleration and propagation mechanism is identified to be in the fast deflagration regime. Further analysis shows that several pressure pulses and shock complexes are formed in the obstacle section. The ensuing decoupled shock-flame interaction augments the flame speed until the flame coalesces with a strong shock ahead of it and propagates as a single unit. At this point, a sharp increase in propagation speed is observed thus completing the DDT process. Subsequent propagation takes place at a uniform speed into the unburned mixture.

Theoretical analysis on deflagration-to-detonation transition**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11672312 and 11532014).

The study on deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) is very important because this mechanism has relevance to safety issues in industries, where combustible premixed gases are in general use. However, the quantitative prediction of DDT is one of the major unsolved problems in combustion and detonation theory to date. In this paper, the DDT process is studied theoretically and the critical condition is given by a concise theoretical expression. The results show that a deflagration wave propagating with about 60% Chapman–Jouguet (CJ) detonation velocity is a critical condition. This velocity is the maximum propagating velocity of a deflagration wave and almost equal to the sound speed of combustion products. When this critical condition is reached, a CJ detonation is triggered immediately. This is the quantitative criteria of the DDT process.

Effect of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation process

The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail. A loose coupling method was used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogen–oxygen mixture in a detonation tube under different actuating voltage amplitudes and discharge gap sizes. Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process assisted by the plasma were analyzed. It was found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle keep unchanged as changing the two discharge operating parameters. However, the adoption of a higher actuating voltage leads to a higher active species concentration within the discharge zone, and atom H is the most sensitive to the variations of the actuating voltage amplitude among the given species. Adopting a larger discharge gap results in a lower concentration of the active species, and all species have the same sensitivity to the variations of the gap. With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube, the corresponding deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) time and distance become slightly longer when a higher actuating voltage is chosen. The acceleration effect of plasma is more prominent with a smaller discharge gap, and the benefit builds gradually throughout the DDT process. Generally, these two control parameters have little effect on the amplitude of the flow field parameters, and they do not alter the combustion degree within the reaction zone.