DETONATION
AND
DEFLAGARATION
- Jigar Dodia
Deflagration (Lat: de + flagrare, "to burn down")
Subsonic combustion propagating through heat transfer; hot burning material
heats the next layer of cold material and ignites it.
A deflagration is characterized by a subsonic flame propagation velocity,
typically far below 100 m/s, and relatively modest overpressures, say below
0.5 bar.
Most "fire" found in daily life, from flames to explosions, is deflagration.
Eg. Combustion in Gas stove, Fuel air mixture in IC Engine, Rapid burning of
gunpowder in firearm, pyrotechnic mixture in fireworks.
Applications in mining, demolition and stone quarrying via gas pressure
blasting.
Detonation (detonare, meaning to expend thunder)
Combustion propagation is of a powerful pressure wave that compresses the
unburnt gas ahead of the wave to a temperature above the autoignition
temperature.
The velocity of detonation in solid and liquid explosives is much higher than
that in gaseous ones.
A detonation is characterized by supersonic flame propagation velocities,
perhaps up to 2000 m/s, and substantial overpressures, up to 20 bars.
Detonation is most often used for explosives and the acceleration of
projectiles.
Pulse detonation engines use the detonation wave for aerospace propulsion.
The Hugoniot-diagram
Deflagration to Detonation
The natural acceleration of a flame in a long pipe
The forced acceleration of a less confined mixture
within a region containing obstacles
In both cases, gas phase turbulence enhances combustion rates to a point where a shock wave is formed
ahead of the flame front. If further flame acceleration occurs, the leading shock wave is strengthened
until a transition to detonation occurs.
Deflagration-to-Detonation Transition
(DDT)
Deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) is the transient phenomenon
resulting from the acceleration of a deflagration flame to detonation via
combustion-generated turbulent flow and compressive heat effects.
During the DDT, the initial peak pressure reached is higher than the final
pressure reached when the stable detonation phase occurs, and the
detonation wave is described as overdriven.
Deflagration to Detonation Transition Caused
Industrial Accidents
1970 Propane vapor cloud explosion in Port Hudson
Deflagration to Detonation Transition Caused
Industrial Accidents
The Flixborough disaster
Deflagration to Detonation Transition Caused
Industrial Accidents
The1989 Phillips Disaster in Pasadena, Texas
Deflagration to Detonation Transition Caused
Industrial Accidents
The damage observed in the Buncefield fire, see the 2005 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire
