Numerical investigation of the detonation wave characteristics of boron-based gel propellant

In this study, we aimed to investigate the detonation wave characteristics of a gel propellant with high boron content. A steady-state detonation wave model of a boron-based gel propellant considering the latent heat of phase change was proposed. The detonation wave model was validated through a comparative analysis with shock tube experiments, which revealed that the maximum deviation in the calculated peak detonation pressure was 8% based on various initial pressures. Upon iterative calculations, the eigenvalue detonation velocity of the boron-based gel propellant under default working conditions was obtained as 1831.5 m/s. Subsequently, the refined model was used to study the structure and characteristics of the detonation wave flow field. The effects of incoming flow conditions, fuel parameters, and initial operating state on the detonation wave flow field of the propellant were investigated numerically. The findings revealed that stable and self-sustaining propagation of the detonation wave can be achieved only when its propagation velocity matches the eigenvalue detonation velocity. Note that an increase in initial temperature resulted in elevated gas phase temperature, density, detonation pressure, and particle phase temperature. An increase in boron content within the gel propellant increased the gas phase temperature but decreased the gas phase density and detonation pressure. At the Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) plane, the gas phase temperature and density, along with the particle phase temperature and detonation pressure, reached their peak values when the oxidizer reacted with the propellant in accordance with the stoichiometric ratio.