Detonation Structure and Gross Properties

Abstract

The effect of transverse wave structure on the overall behavior of a detonation wave is investigated theoretically using a planar mode detonation as a model. The balance conditions for a steady flow are solved numerically for a particular assumed non-ideality of the flow (as indicated by transverse wave strength) and adjusted path processes within the non-steady flow region near the detonation front. Results indicate that non-ideality lowers the calculated CJ Mach number of the wave slightly and for a realistic process also lowers the CJ pressure. This is in accord with measurements of detonation velocity and indicates that structural non-ideality may be the cause of the slight discrepancies observed between experiment and classical one dimensional CJ theory. The results of this work throw further doubt on the standard justifications for the existence of self-sustaining detonation waves.