The effect of additives on the detonation hazard of some hydrocarbon‐air mixtures

Abstract

Hazards caused by detonation of hydrocarbon‐air mixtures are a continuing problem. Of the factors affecting detonation hazards of hydrocarbon‐air mixtures, additives play an important role. In this paper, a series of experiments are described addressing the influence of chemical additives on the detonation of some hydrocarbon‐air mixtures under confined (rectangle shock tube tests) conditions. The experimental results show that NT (nitric ether or RONO2), PO (1,2‐epoxypropane), and BPO (benzoyl peroxide) have a clear sensitizing effect on the detonation hazards of these mixtures. The mechanistic influence of additives is simply described, according to the chain reaction theory of detonation.