Application: Detonations

Abstract Detonation is a shock-induced combustion in which chemical reactions are closely coupled with shock waves. The shock wave compresses the reactant with an abrupt increase in temperature and pressure, initiating the reactants to be burnt into products. The intense heat release permits the high propagating speed of the shock wave to be sustained. It is fundamental research related to both the safety industry and propulsion systems. For most explosive mixtures, detonation wave speeds are formulated by Chapman–Jouguet (CJ) theory. Typical detonation velocities for gaseous mixtures generally range from 1400 to 3000 m/s. Behind the shock, the time scale for reactions is commonly on the order of microseconds or even less. Furthermore, the detonation front is intrinsically unstable, forming transient multi-dimensional structures. Many studies revealed that high resolution is necessary to resolve the essential detonation structures. Due to its complex nature and multiple time scales, detonation is thus a challenging problem for solvers on shock-capturing capability, robustness, and computational efficiency. This chapter will present several essential aspects of detonation research by applying the CESE schemes.