Analysis of deflagration to detonation transition in high-energy solid propellants

Increasing the nitramine content of solid rocket propellants increases the overall performance of the system as well as the sensitivity to detonation by shock initiation. Under certain circumstances Deflagration to Detonation Transition (DDT) can occur in granulated high-energy solid propellant. The work presented here represents an effort to model the DDT process. The emphasis is on the transient events prior to the detonation as well as the steady-state detonation conditions. A Method of Lines (MOL) computer solution technique is used to solve the system of partial differential equations describing one-dimensional, two-phase, reactive flow. The Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) properties, detonation run-up distance, and detonation velocity predicted by the computer code compare favorably with experimental data and the steady-state detonation predictions made using the TIGER chemical equilibrium computer code.