10/2/2020 Physics of the Detonation Reaction

Physics of the Detona on Reac on

The detona on reac on can be described as a chemical reac on such that a shock wave advances down a column of explosive material reinforced and fed by the
chemical reac on preceding it. High temperature and pressure gradients are generated in the wave front, so that the chemical reac on is ini ated instantaneously.
Detona on veloci es lie in the approximate range of 1500 to 9000 m/s; slower explosive reac ons, which are propagated by thermal conduc on and radia on are
known as deflagra ons.

Shock Waves and Speed of Sound Waves in Gases

Shock waves are also generated in non-explosive media by a sudden effect of pressure. The genera on of a shock wave in air (as a non-explosive gas) is illustrated by
the figure below using a cylinder and accelera ng piston. To understand the forma on of shock waves, consider an example such that a column of air is set in
mo on by a piston which is accelerated into the column of air. If the velocity of the piston is a staircase func on of me, then each step will transmit a small
compressional wave that advances through the air column already set in forward mo on and heated by the previous compressional wave. Since the velocity of the
wave is larger at elevated temperatures, each new wave overtakes the previous wave generated and the velocity, pressure and temperature gradients in the front of
the wave grow steeper with me. If there is no heat loss in the system, the gradients will become infinite. This model is idealized in the figure below. The type of wave
in which a discon nuity has developed in known as a shock wave. The region corresponding to pressure rise is called the shock front. This front advances with a speed
higher than the speed of sound in the air column ( or any solid medium). Shock velocity depends on the condi ons behind the shock front. Three condi ons of piston
mo on or travel are apparent as follows;

Rules
Rule 1: If the piston con nues accelera ng then so does the shock front,
Rule 2: If the piston maintains a constant velocity, then the front maintains a constant velocity as well,
Rule 3: If the piston decelerates, a wave of rarefac on is formed ahead of it which eventually overtakes and weakens the shock front.

Note that the velocity of the shock front is determined by the condi ons behind the front. The shock front cannot maintain itself. It depends on the support provided
by the piston. For detona on waves, the role of the piston is played by the reac on taking place in the detona on wave.

Refer to the Figure Below and Note

Region 1 - piston is sta c and the volume ahead of the piston is at a density equal to the density of material enclosed in this region.
Region 2 - consider that the piston is moving at a velocity that is subsonic meaning the velocity of sound in the volume ahead of the piston is greater than the velocity
of the piston itself.
Region 3 - in an explosive the piston becomes the shock front which has a density around four thirds of the density of the unreacted explosive contained in the region
ahead of the shock front. The shock front is a component of the detona on reac on such that the shock front is constantly reinforced and fed by the chemical reac on
preceding it.

Visualiza on of a Detona on Reac on using a Traveling Piston at a Velocity Equal

to the Detona on Velocity of an Explosive

From the accelera on of the piston from rest shown in the schema c above, the volume in front of the piston must be compressed somewhat and warms up a li le;
the compression range is determined by the velocity of sound for the medium enclosed in the volume. The increase in pressure and the range of the increase a er a
short moment of me are symbolized by the leading edge of the piston. The parameters that are involved at the piston surface and behind it are shown in the
schema c below for the two regions (in front of the piston and behind it). This analysis is virtually the same when considering the detona on reac on. There are two
ways to view the shock front; the first is sta c in which case ingredients move through a boundary or discon nuity as shown in the first figure below.

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Flow Through Detona on Wave (Observer Moves to Right At Velocity D

Discon nuity is at Rest)

The second visualiza on is much like the traveling piston shown in the schema c above, in which a pusher plate is accelerated through a volume of chemical reagents
that comprise an explosive formula on. In all cases, a shock front must form in order to provide the heat and pressure to ini a on a detona on reac on.

Crea ng a Shock Front Using a Pusher Plate. Heat is Generated in the Same
Manner as an Inner Tube Being Pumped Up with Air Using a Piston Pump

The increase in pressure and the range of the increase a er a short moment of me are symbolized by the line drawn in front of the piston. The parameters that are
involved at the piston surface and behind it are shown in the above schema c for the two regions. This analysis is virtually the same when considering the detona on
reac on.
Looking at a plane detona on wave that is propaga ng in an explosive column, there are two regions to view. The first is the region that has not yet experienced the
reac on and contains unreacted ingredients that make up the explosive itself. This is the region on the right hand side of the discon nuity. The second region (le
hand side of the discon nuity) is that which is experiencing the detona on reac on where ingredients are being consumed by the detona on process. These two
regions are shown above in the schema c. Note that the discon nuity is represented by the line AA’ and that the region in front is the undisturbed unreacted
material.
The wave front advances into the unconsumed or unreacted explosive with a constant velocity D with the reac on zone immediately following behind it. If an
observer is moving with the velocity, D, of such a front, the wave will appear as shown in the diagram with undetonated or unreacted explosive flowing into the
discon nuity at AA’. Pressure, temperature and density appear as P1, T1, and 1 in the region to the right of AA’. To the le of AA’ are the reactants having pressure,
temperature, density and par cle velocity as P2, T2, 2 and W.

Below are some images of detona ng explosives showing the detona on wave front posi on along with the gas expansion region (rota ng drum camera photos
courtesy IRECO INCO).

A B C
High speed rota ng drum camera photos of a NG cartridge explosive detona ng full cartridge (le ) with the detona on wave front Jumping an air gap - gap sensi vity
test , middle and right hand photos.

Lets take a look at the components of a detona on reac on using the above pictures. In the first picture above, the components of the chemical reac on can be
broken down into the following components as shown in the schema c below.

Note That There are Really Three Regions

1. Unreacted explosive component - region 1
2. Reac on zone component - region 2
3. Gas expansion zone - region 3
These regions are represented below in the following diagram (using the first picture above). The image has been posterized for clarity.

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The anatomy of the detona on reac on is shown above. Note that the direc on of shock wave mo on is from right to le .

Some characteris cs need to be highlighted. The swept back angle of the release wave provided by the shock of the detona on reac on is dependent on the
detona on velocity of the explosive. The detona on velocity for the above example is high and can be surmised by the angle of the release wave. This angle will
become less steep when the velocity of the explosive decreases. The volume of the gas cloud can be as high as 19,000 mes the original volume of the explosive
(roughly in the case for nitroglycerin based explosives).

A plot of pressure versus distance for a detona on wave is shown below. The shock wave, at the right, is the leading element of the detona on wave. The explosive
behind it, heated by the sudden compression, begins its chemical reac on there. Pressure falls as the reac on proceeds, and reac on is finished at the point marked
final state. Behind that point are a rarefac on and a steady state region; they reduce the pressure and par cle velocity to match the mo on of the external
confinement (as confined by a blasthole). The reac on zone, between the shock wave and the final state, is a subsonic flow region; energy liberated in it can flow
forward to drive the shock wave. The region behind the final state is a supersonic flow region; neither energy released there nor any perturbing waves can move
forward to affect the reac on zone or the shock.

The ZND Model of the Detona on Process (developed by Zeldovich, John von Neuman and Werner Doring). The ZND detona on model
is a one-dimensional model for the process of detona on of an explosive. ... First, an infinitesimally thin shock wave compresses the
explosive to a high pressure called the von Neumann spike. At the von Neumann spike point the explosive s ll remains unreacted. ZND
Model

The ZND detona on model is a one-dimensional model for the process of detona on of an explosive. This model admits finite-rate chemical reac ons and thus the
process of detona on consists of the following stages. First, an infinitely thin shock wave compresses the explosive to a high pressure called the von Neumann spike.
At the von Neumann spike point the explosive s ll remains unreacted. The spike marks the onset of the zone of exothermic chemical reac on, which finishes at the
Chapman-Jouguet state. A er that, the detona on products expand backward. In the reference frame in which the shock is sta onary, the flow following the shock is
subsonic. Because of this, energy release behind the shock is able to be transported acous cally to the shock for its support. For a self-propaga ng detona on, the
shock relaxes to a speed given by the Chapman–Jouguet condi on, which induces the material at the end of the reac on zone to have a locally sonic speed in the
reference frame in which the shock is sta onary. In effect, all of the chemical energy is harnessed to propagate the shock wave forward.

Examining the Structure of a Detona on Process - Ultra High Speed Photography

• Ultra High Speed Framing Camera (2 million pictures/sec)
• Timing delay mul plier
• High voltage firing circuit
• Underground bombproof bunker
• Periscope

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shown in the chart below. There are three dis nct zones,
a) The undisturbed medium ahead of the shock wave,
b) A rapid pressure at Y leading to a zone in which chemical reac on is generated by the shock, and complete at X,
c) A steady state wave where pressure and temperature are maintained. This condi on of stability condi on for stability exists at hypothe cal X, which is commonly
referred to the Chapman- Jouquet (C-J) plane. Between the two planes X and Y there is conserva on of mass, momentum and energy.

Velocity of detona on (VOD) of explosive is func on of Heat of reac on of an explosive, density and confinement. The detona on pressure (unit in N/m2) that exists
at the C-J plane is func on of VOD of explosives. The detona on of explosives in cylindrical columns and in unconfined condi ons leads to lateral expansion between
the shock and C-J planes resul ng in a shorter reac on zone and loss of energy. Thus, it is common to encounter a much lower VOD in unconfined situa ons than in
confined ones.

References
Los Alamos High Explosives - The Interac on of Chemistry and Mechanics, William C. Davis - High Explosives - The Interac on of Chemistry and Mechanics, William C. Davis
The ZND Detona on Model - Wikipedia - The ZND Detona on Model
Partha Das Sharma - Mining and Blas ng, Weblog of Partha Das Sharma For Discussing Various Aspects of Mining, Explosives and Blas ng . Mining and Blas ng Weblog of
Partha Das Sharma

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Bombproof Bunker Camera Periscope Hatch with Armor Glass

Plates in Front

Simultaneous Streak and Framing

Camera - Cordin

High Speed Camera Backlight Source - Func on of Flash Bomb

• Camera runs for 24 microseconds
• Light must be generated using pentolite detona on packs and/or primers - must have paper tube removed
• wax paper diffuses light and acts as a screen

Object to be photographed - EGMN Sensi zer Flash bomb at back of screen

What is an Ideal Detona on

The components of the detona on reac on are presented in the following video. Courtesy of Blue Dog Scien fic (Dr. Gary Sharpe)

The above video shows the events occurring in an ideal detona on. The medium in which
the drill hole exists does not take part in the reac on.

Addi onal Explana on of the Detona on Reac on CourtesyParthasDasSharma

Understanding theory of detona on of explosives– The self-sustained shock wave produced by a chemical reac on was described by Chapman and Jouquet as a space.
This space of negligible thickness is bounded by two infinite planes – on one side of the wave is the unreacted explosive and on the other, the exploded gases as

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