Cavitation-induced ignition of cryogenic hydrogen-oxygen fluids

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-28-2011

Abstract

The Challenger disaster and purposeful experiments with liquid hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (Ox) tank breaches demonstrated that cryogenic H2/Ox fluids always self-ignite in the process of their sudden mixing. Here, we propose a cavitation-induced self-ignition mechanism that may be realized under these conditions. In one possible scenario, self-ignition is caused by the strong shock waves generated by the collapse of pure Ox vapor bubble near the surface of the Ox liquid that may initiate detonation of the gaseous H2/Ox mixture next to the gas-liquid interface. This effect is further enhanced by H2/Ox combustion inside the collapsing bubble in the presence of admixed H2 gas. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Identifier

79953754886 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Applied Physics Letters

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3571445

ISSN

00036951

Issue

13

Volume

98

Grant

NNX10AC65G

Fund Ref

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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