Numerical Simulations of the Effects of Droplet Size and Concentration on Vapour-Droplet JP-10/Air Detonations

Two-dimensional simulations were conducted for JP-10 mono-dispersed vapour-droplet detonation in air, based on the detonation mechanism for clouds and validation of the extending critical droplet size limits in previous tests. In the simulations, the discrete phase model combined with the droplet evaporation and droplet breakup models was used. Utilizing a wide range of mono-dispersed droplet sizes and initial droplet concentrations, all cases of JP-10 droplets with a certain amount of pre-vaporized fuel can successfully achieve the deflagration to detonation transition. Detonation velocities at the equivalent concentration with droplet diameters no larger than 50 μm are in good agreement with the theoretical detonation velocities. The effects of droplet size and initial droplet concentration on the detonation behaviour were also investigated. Detonation velocities attained with droplet diameters below 50 μm appear to decrease very slightly with droplet size, but are almost equal to the velocity in gases. When the droplet diameter is above 50 μm, there is a decrease in simulated detonation velocity compared with fine droplets, and no secondary pressure peak was observed. For fuel-rich combustion, detonation velocities decrease rapidly with an increase in initial droplet concentration, and post-wave pressure fluctuation was obviously irregular, caused by the secondary local explosion of the droplets.