LAUSR

Abstract Experiments were carried out to study detonation propagation through a nonuniform layer of stoichiometric hydrogen-oxygen in a narrow channel. Premixed stoichiometric hydrogen-oxygen was injected through a series of 1.3 mm diameter, 4.8 mm spaced holes into a 7 mm wide optically accessible channel initially filled with an inert gas. A Chapman-Jouguet detonation wave was transmitted into the test section from a pre-detonator of equal height. The height of the layer was varied by changing the time of hydrogen-oxygen injection relative to the arrival-time of the detonation wave. Schlieren photography was used to record the progression of the detonation wave. Soot foils mounted to the back window, were used to record the detonation cellular structure and visualization of the soot incandescence provided tracking of the reaction zone. With the channel initially filled with argon, detonation propagation was only possible when the layer height accommodated at least 8–11 detonation cells. Detonation propagation was not possible when the channel initially contained nitrogen, or carbon dioxide, indicating strong mixing with the injected premixed hydrogen-oxygen. Numerical simulations confirmed the strong mixing between the injected premixed hydrogen-oxygen with the prefilled inert gas. The simplified mixing condition, i.e., injection of premixed hydrogen-oxygen, provides a unique data set for numerical code validation and verification for a linear RDE geometry.