The Blast Waves From Unconfined Axisymmetric Vapour-Cloud Explosions

This dissertation presents a systematic study of the blast waves produced by axisymmetric detonation waves and constant velocity as well as accelerating deflagration waves propagating through homogeneous axisymmetric clouds whose energy density approximate that of a typical hydrocarbon-air mixture. The behavior of the blast wave was studied in a compressible medium surrounding a flammable mixture during and after the propagation of a heat addition wave which models the detonation or deflagration process. In this study the non-steady, two-dimensional fluid dynamic equations of motion were integrated using Godunov's computational scheme subject to appropriate boundary conditions. The actual combustion process was replaced by a simple heat-addition working fluid model developed by Strehlow and coworkers. The results yielded the fluid dynamic and thermodynamic fields associated with the propagation of the blast wave. Particular attention was concentrated in determining the blast parameters, i.e. peak overpressure and impluse, using the numerical calculations for various cloud geometries and flame velocities. A general acoustic monopole source theory was also used in determining the peak overpressure and impulse produced by the low velocity deflagration of non-spherical axisymmetric clouds. Reasonable agreement was found between the values obtained from the numerical calculations and the linear-acoustic theory for low velocity flames.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Raju, Manthena Surya Narayana

• Engineering, Aerospace

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8218543

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/70620