Chad D. Meyer

Calibration of the Pseudo-Reaction-Zone model for detonation wave propagation

An approach for the calibration of an advanced programmed burn (PB) model for detonation performance calculations in high explosive systems is detailed. Programmed burn methods split the detonation performance calculation into two components: timing and energy release. For the timing, the PB model uses a Detonation Shock Dynamics (DSD) surface propagation model, where the normal surface speed is a function of local surface curvature. For the energy release calculation and subsequent hydrodynamic flow evolution, a Pseudo-Reaction-Zone (PRZ) model is used. The PRZ model is similar to a reactive burn model in that it converts reactants into products at a finite rate, but it has a reaction rate dependent on the normal surface speed derived from the DSD calculation. The PRZ reaction rate parameters must be calibrated in such a way that the rate of energy release due to reaction in multi-dimensional geometries is consistent with the timing calculation provided by the DSD model. Our strategy for achieving this is to run the PRZ model in a detonation shock-attached frame in a compliant 2D planar slab geometry in an equivalent way to a reactive burn model, from which we can generate detonation front shapes and detonation phase speed variations with slab thickness. In this case, the D n field used by the PRZ model is then simply the normal detonation shock speed rather than the DSD surface normal speed. The PRZ rate parameters are then iterated on to match the equivalent surface front shapes and surface phase speed variations with slab thickness derived from the target DSD model. For the purposes of this paper, the target DSD model is fitted to the performance properties of an idealised condensed-phase reactive burn model, which allows us to compare the detonation structure of the calibrated PRZ model to that of the originating idealised-condensed phase model.