Simulating thermal explosion of RDX-based explosives: Model comparison with experiment
We compare two-dimensional model results with measurements for the thermal, chemical and mechanical behavior in a thermal explosion experiment. Confined high explosives are heated at a rate of 1 C per hour until an explosion is observed. The heating, ignition, and deflagration phases are modeled using an Arbitrarily Lagrangian-Eulerian code (ALE3D) that can handle a wide range of time scales that vary from a structural to a dynamic hydro time scale. During the pre-ignition phase, quasi-static mechanics and diffusive thermal transfer from a heat source to the HE are coupled with the finite chemical reactions that include both endothermic and exothermic processes. Once the HE ignites, a hydro dynamic calculation is performed as a burn front propagates through the HE. Two RDX-based explosives, C-4 and PBXN-109, are considered, whose chemical-thermal-mechanical models are constructed based on measurements of thermal and mechanical properties along with small scale thermal explosion measurements. The simulated dynamic response of HE confinement during the explosive phase is compared to measurements in large scale thermal explosion tests. The explosion temperatures for both HE's are predicted to within 5 C. Calculated and measured wall strains provide an indication of vessel pressurization during the heating phase and violence during the explosive phase. During the heating phase, simulated wall strains provide only an approximate representation of measured values indicating a better numerical treatment is needed to provide accurate results. The results also show that more numerical accuracy is needed for vessels with lesser confinement strength. For PBXN-109, the measured wall strains during the explosion are well represented by the ALE3D calculations.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 15020078
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JRNL-207203; JAPIAU; TRN: US200519%%162
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 97, Issue 8; ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
POLICY AND ECONOMY
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
42 ENGINEERING
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ACCURACY
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONFINEMENT
DATA
EXPLOSIONS
EXPLOSIVES
HEAT SOURCES
HEATING
IGNITION
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PRESSURIZATION
STRAINS