Calculational model for condensation of water vapor during an underground nuclear detonation

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1975

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4171869· OSTI ID:4171869

Knox, R J

An empirally derived mathematical model was developed to calculate the pressure and temperature history during condensation of water vapor in an underground-nuclear-explosion cavity. The condensation process is non-isothermal. Use has been made of the Clapeyron-Clausius equation as a basis for development of the model. Analytic fits to the vapor pressure and the latent heat of vaporization for saturated-water vapor, together with an estimated value for the heat-transfer coefficient, have been used to describe the phenomena. The calculated pressure-history during condensation has been determined to be exponential, with a time constant somewhat less than that observed during the cooling of the superheated steam from the explosion. The behavior of the calculated condensation-pressure compares well with the observed-pressure record (until just prior to cavity collapse) for a particular nuclear-detonation event for which data is available. (auth)

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• NSA Number: NSA-33-005568
• OSTI ID: 4171869
• Report Number(s): UCRL-51901
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

N42500* -Engineering-Nuclear Explosions
N42300 - Engineering-Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
450200* -Explosions & Explosives-Nuclear
*COMPUTER CODES- D CODES
*NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
*UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS- VAPOR CONDENSATION
*WATER VAPOR- VAPOR CONDENSATION
CAVITIES
HEAT TRANSFER
HIGH TEMPERATURE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
SPECIFIC HEAT
STEAM
SUPERHEATING
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
TIME DEPENDENCE
VAPOR PRESSURE
VAPORIZATION HEAT
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE