Research on shock wave driving technology of methane explosion

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Combustion Science
• Shock Wave Physics

Background:

• Current explosion wave simulation equipment faces challenges with condensed explosives, including erosion and safety concerns.
• Optimizing the shock wave load source is crucial for improving the driving ability and reliability of simulation equipment.
• The meteorological detonation driving method offers potential but requires refinement for shock wave generation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility of using methane as an explosion source for structural shock wave testing.
• To optimize the methane detonation driving method for enhanced explosion wave simulation.
• To develop an engineering model for shock wave overpressure attenuation in pipelines.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the finite volume method within FLACS software to establish a methane detonation driving model.
• Conducted methane detonation drive tests to validate the numerical model's accuracy.
• Employed dimensional analysis, numerical simulations, and test data to establish an engineering model for shock wave overpressure attenuation.

Main Results:

• The highest blast pressure was observed at a 9.5 vol% methane-air mixture.
• Increasing oxygen content alone had minimal impact on peak overpressure and shock wave duration.
• In pure oxygen, a 1:2 methane-to-oxygen ratio achieved detonation, with incident pressure proportional to gas cloud volume.

Conclusions:

• Methane-oxygen mixture ratios significantly influence detonation effects and peak shock wave overpressure.
• Optimized methane detonation provides an effective method for generating shock waves in simulation equipment.
• The developed engineering model and findings offer technical guidance for designing advanced explosion wave simulation systems.