Specific features of cellular detonation in polydisperse suspensions of aluminum particles in a gas

Formation of cellular detonation in polydisperse suspensions of fine aluminum particles in oxygen is studied by methods of numerical modeling. The influence of the particle size distribution on the character and scale of cellular structures is analyzed. The transition of plane to cellular detonation is modeled by two methods: development of small perturbations on the front and passing of the detonation front through a discontinuity of the channel cross section. The character of the cellular structures is independent of the method of their formation and displays signs of degeneration in polydisperse mixtures. As the scatter in the particle size increases, cellular detonation transforms to plane detonation. Stable propagation of a plane detonation wave is observed in mixtures with significant differences in the particle size. The critical share of the dominating fraction for complete degeneration in suspensions with three and five fractions of particles is identical.