Numerical simulations of detonations in hydrogen-air and methane-air mixtures

Detailed numerical simulations of supersonic reactive flow and gas phase detonation problems are very expensive due to their computer time and memory requirements. The bulk of this cost is in integrating the ordinary differential equations describing chemical reactions. A global induction parameter model has been developed which describes the chemical induction time of a mixture and allows for release of energy over a finite time period. The specific gases for which it has been calibrated are stoichiometric mixtures of hydrogen and methane in air. The relatively inexpensive induction parameter model is then used in time-dependent one- and two-dimensional simualtions of supersonic reactive flows. 29 refs