Deflagration is a process of subsonic combustion that usually propagates through thermal conductivity (hot burning material heats the next layer of cold material and ignites it). Deflagration is different from detonation which is supersonic and propagates through shock compression.

Applications

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In engineering terms, deflagrations are easier to control than detonations. Consequently, they are better suited when the goal is to move an object (a bullet in a gun, or a piston in an engine) with the force of the expanding gas. Typical examples of deflagrations are combustion of a gas-air mixture in a gas stove or a fuel-air mixture in an internal combustion engine, a rapid burning of a gunpowder in a firearm or pyrotechnic mixtures in fireworks.

In astrophysics, flame fronts are believed to play a crucial role in Type Ia supernovae. There, the energy is supplied not by chemical processes as is the case with all terrestrial flames, but rather by thermonuclear burning.

Flame Physics

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We can better understand the underlying flame physics by constructing an idealized model consisting of a uniform one-dimensional tube of unburnt and burned gaseous fuel, separated by a thin transitional region of width $\backslash delta$ in which the burning occurs. The burning region is commonly referred to as the flame or flame front. In equilibrium, thermal diffusion across the flame front is balanced by the heat supplied by burning.

There are two characteristic timescales which are important here. The first is the thermal diffusion timescale $\backslash tau\_d$, which is approximately equal to $\backslash tau\_d\; \backslash simeq\; \backslash delta^2\; /\; \backslash kappa$ where $\backslash kappa\; \backslash ;$ is the thermal conductivity.

The second is the burning timescale $\backslash tau\_b$, which is approximately equal to $\backslash tau\_b\; \backslash simeq\; \backslash epsilon\; /\; \backslash dot\; \{w\}$ where $\backslash epsilon$ is the total energy released by burning per unit mass, and $\backslash dot\; \{w\}$ is the burn rate (i.e., the rate of increase of specific thermal energy).

In equilibrium, these two rates are equal: The heat generated by burning is equal to the heat carried away by heat transfer. This lets us find the characteristic width $\backslash delta$ of the flame front :

$\backslash tau\_b\; \backslash simeq\; \backslash tau\_d$

$\backslash delta\; \backslash simeq\; \backslash sqrt\; \{\backslash epsilon\; \backslash kappa\; /\; \backslash dot\; \{w\}\}$

Now, the thermal flame front propagates at a characteristic speed $S\_l$, which is simply equal to the flame width divided by the burn time :

$S\_l\; \backslash simeq\; \backslash delta\; /\; \backslash tau\_b\; \backslash simeq\; \backslash sqrt\; \{\backslash kappa\; \backslash dot\; \{w\}\; /\; \backslash epsilon\}$

This simplified one-dimensional model neglects the possible influence of turbulence. As a result, this derivation gives the laminar flame speed -- hence the designation $S\_l$.

Damaging Deflagration Events

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Damage to buildings, equipment and people can result from a large-scale short-duration deflagration. The nature of the damage is primarily a function of the total amount of fuel burned in the event (total energy available), the maximum flame velocity that is achieved, and the manner in which the expansion of the combustion gases is contained.

In free-air deflagrations, there is a continuous variation in deflagration effects relative to maximum flame velocity. When flame velocities are low, the effect of a deflagration is the release of heat. Some authors use the term flash fire to describe these low-speed deflagrations. At flame velocities near the speed of sound, the energy released is in the form of pressure and the results resemble a detonation. Between these extremes both heat and pressure are released.

When a low-speed deflagration occurs within a closed vessel or structure, pressure effects can produce damage due to expansion of gases, as a secondary effect. The heat released by the deflagration causes the combustion gases and excess air to try to expand thermally as well. The net result is that the volume of the vessel or structure needs to either expand/fail to accommodate the hot combustion gases, or build internal pressure to contain them.

Explosives

Deflagration | Déflagration | Deflagratie | Deflagracja | Дефлаграция | Deflagration