Fundamental Study on Accidental Explosion Behavior of Hydrogen-Air Mixtures in Open Space

In this study, the flame propagation behavior and the intensity of blast wave by an accidental explosion of a hydrogen/air mixture in an open space have been measured simultaneously by using soap bubble method. The results show that the flame in lean hydrogen/air mixtures propagated with a wrinkled flame by spontaneous instability. The flame in rich hydrogen/air mixtures propagated smoothly in the early stage, and was intensively wrinkled and accelerated in the later stage by different type of instability. The intensity of the blast wave of hydrogen/air mixtures is strongly affected by the acceleration of the flame propagation by these spontaneous flame disturbances.