Experimental Study on the Dynamic Pressure Characteristics of Explosion in Limited Space

In this study, the effect of the dynamic pressure characteristics of an explosion was investigated in limited space by conducting combustion of propane/air mixtures at various equivalences and initial pressures. The maximum explosion pressure, combustion duration, maximum rate of pressure rise, and fast burn period were found as the critical parameters to investigate the dynamic pressure characteristics. In addition, the heat loss to the unit area wall of the combustion chamber was calculated. The results show that the maximum explosion pressure, the maximum rate of pressure rise, and the deflagration index increase first and then decrease, and the combustion duration and fast burn period decrease first and then increase. With increasing initial pressure, the maximum explosion pressure increases, the maximum rate of pressure rises, and the deflagration index increases significantly. A linear relationship was found between the initial pressure and the maximum explosion pressures at various equivalence ratios. Too lean or too rich propane/air mixtures will increase the heat loss. The heat loss of the mixture near the equivalence ratio is minimum.