Numerical research of the different types of jet effect on detonation initiation characteristics

In order to investigate the effect of different types of hot jet on detonation initiation characteristics, the detonation initiation process was simulated by employing CFD software. The processes for detonation initiation with jets of different types, including subsonic jet, supersonic jet and detonation jet, were analyzed. Stoichiometric propane-air mixture was used as the fuel-oxidant of the pre-detonator and main detonation tube. The simulation results and their analysis indicated preliminarily that: (1) the propane-air mixture in the main detonation tube could not be initiated with the subsonic jet, but could be initiated with the supersonic jet and detonation jet under the current simulation conditions; (2) the initiation distance and time with the detonation jet were both shorter than those with supersonic jet; (3) the generation of the detonation jet took up most of the time in the detonation initiation process with detonation jet, hence, acceleration of the generation of the detonation jet would reduce the total initiation time of the propane/air in the main detonation tube.