One dimensional time-to-explode (ODTX) in HMX spheres

In a series of papers researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have reported measurements of the time to explosion in spheres of various high explosives following a rapid, uniform increase in the surface temperature of the sphere. Due to the spherical symmetry, the time-dependent properties of the explosive (temperature, chemical composition, etc.) are functions of the radial spatial coordinate only; thus the name one-dimensional time-to-explosion (ODTX). The LLNL researchers also report an evolving series of computational modeling results for the ODTX experiments, culminating in those obtained using a sophisticated heat transfer code incorporating accurate descriptions of chemical reaction. Although the chemical reaction mechanism used to describe HMX decomposition is quite simple, the computational results agree very well with the experimental data. In addition to reproducing the magnitude and temperature dependence of the measured times to explosion, the computational results also agree with the results of post reaction visual inspection. The ODTX experiments offer a near-ideal example of a transport process (heat transfer in this case) tightly coupled with chemical reaction. The LLNL computational model clearly captures the important features of the ODTX experiments. An obvious question of interest is to what extent the model and/or its individual components (specifically the chemical reaction mechanism) are applicable to other experimental scenarios. Valid exploration of this question requires accurate understanding of (1) the experimental scenario addressed by the LLNL model and (2) details of the application of the model. The author reports here recent work addressing points (1) and (2)