Simulation of Cellular Detonation Flow in a Hydrogen–Oxygen–Argon Mixture with Aluminum Particles

A physical and mathematical model of hybrid detonation in a hydrogen–oxygen–argon mixture with additives of microdispersed aluminum particles is presented. Hydrogen and aluminum combustion is described within the framework of the reduced kinetics. Formation of suboxides and solid aluminum oxide particles are taken into account in an aluminum combustion reaction. Numerical simulation of two-dimensional flows in a 10-cm wide plane channel is applied to study the formation and propagation of cellular detonation in a 0.72H₂ + O₂ + 2.58Ar mixture at an initial pressure of 0.26 atm with additions of aluminum particles 3.5 and 5  \(\mu\) m in size. Properties of regularization and reduction of cell size are obtained. It is revealed that front velocity, as well as peak pressures and temperatures in the hybrid mixture increase in comparison with gas detonation. Double-front regimes that exist for a limited time are obtained. Merging of the fronts is followed by detonation acceleration and a transition to a fine-cell structure. The relationship between cell size and average detonation velocity is similar to the overcompressed gas detonation equation.