Explosion Characteristics of RP-3 Aviation Kerosene Ignited by a High Explosive

In this study, the deflagration and detonation parameters of RP-3 aviation kerosene in a vertical shock tube, 200 mm in inner diameter and 5 400 mm in height, was measured at different initiation energies, spray pressures and equivalence ratios in direct ignition by a high explosive to further explore the influencing factors of the combustion characteristics of the RP-3 aviation kerosene.The results show that the critical initiation energy of the aviation kerosene decreases sharply at first and then rises slowly with the increase of the equivalence ratio, and its changing trends are basically in an "L" shape.When the spray pressure varies from 0.20 MPa to 0.60 MPa, the detonation velocity and the explosion pressure are both in the shape of an inverted "U" along with the changing of the spray pressure at the same fuel concentration.The detonation velocity and the explosion pressure curves have a linear ascending tendency with the increase of the initiation energy.Moreover, when the initiation energy ranges from 0.37 MJ/m² to 1.68 MJ/m², the aviation kerosene cannot reach the state of detonation.The detonation velocity and the explosion pressure of the fuel at first increase and then decrease along with the rising of the equivalence ratio, also in an inverted "U" shape.