Announcing the Final Examination of Nicolas Berube for the degree of Master of Science
Initial results, design considerations, and experimental validation of a new detonation tube are presented to further improve detonation wave interaction research. The new structure consists of four independent portions: the deflagration to detonation initiation section, transition expansion section, operating test section, and dump section. The initiation, transition, and test sections are designed to operate within a temperature limit of 150°C and a maximum detonation pressure of 100 bar. The test section is comprised of interchangeable 155 cm stainless steel 316 plates assembled to create a 10x10 cm square hollow structure, sealed with longitudinal O-rings between plates and lateral O-rings between flanges and plate-ends. Ports and windows are all sealed with O-rings. The current assembly has 30 circular ports for pressure measurements and ion gauge measurements. These same circular ports will also be used for laser spectroscopy measurements through 1.27 cm diameter circular windows. Two axial rectangular windows of 16.51 x 5.74 cm and two of 16.51 x 2.54 cm, with centers 52 cm from the downstream end of the test section, are used for various diagnostics and imaging techniques. Initial detonations are validated in comparison to the literature, the facility's first detonation tube, and Chapman Jouguet conditions. 2-3 mm Rp-2 droplet breakups are also provided in comparison to the facility's first detonation tube. Introduction occurs through one of these rectangular openings where various observational tools are used to trigger the mixture's ignition when the droplet is midflight.
Committee in Charge: Subith Vasu (Chair), Michael Kinzel, Alain Kassab
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