Keywords

Droplet, Detonation, Cell Structure, Triple Points, Shadowgraphy

Abstract

Detonation waves hold significant potential for advancing thrust generation and energy production, driving the recent decades of research in detonation physics and multiphase flow interactions. This work builds on that foundation through various campaigns in a new, custom-designed modular detonation tube. The stainless-steel facility, featuring a 10 × 10 cm square test section, can withstand high pressures and temperatures, enabling the controlled initiation of gaseous fuel–oxidizer mixtures. Various mixtures of methane, hydrogen, argon, and oxygen have been introduced, with a peak pressure of 50 bar observed. High-speed shadowgraph imaging captured the propagation of detonation fronts, consistent with Chapman- Jouguet conditions and the evolution of triple-point structures that define cellular detonation patterns, using an HPV-X2 camera at a rate of 10 million frames per second. The internals of a detonation cell structure, and their resulting cell size and triple-point trajectories away from confining boundaries, were investigated and compared to previous soot foil experiments. The study further examined detonation cell structures and their triple points as they impinged on inert liquid water droplets, revealing pit growth that differed from that produced by planar shocks. A custom short-wave-infrared galvanometer streak camera was developed to record nanosecond-scale water-vapor emission within the detonation cells. Together, these investigations demonstrate a fully integrated experimental platform that combines optical diagnostics with advanced Python data analysis, LabVIEW-driven control, and comprehensive acquisition methods, delivering new insight into detonation cells, cell emissions, and droplet dynamics to help inform the design of future propulsion and energy-conversion systems.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Fall

Committee Chair

Vasu, Subith

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Format

PDF

Release Date

12-15-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

Subjects

Detonation waves--Measurement; Detonation waves--Testing; Photography, High-speed--Scientific applications; Atomization--Experiments; Gas dynamics--Research

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Available for download on Tuesday, December 15, 2026

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