Experiments on Water Droplet Breakup in a Detonation Medium

The deformation and breakup of water droplets impacted by a shock wave have been largely attributed to surface mechanisms. This study investigates the differences in droplet breakup between shock waves and detonation waves, while searching for cavitation occurring in the droplets. Detonation and deflagration-initiated shock waves using a 0.7 equivalence ratio hydrogen-oxygen mixture, stoichiometric methane-oxygen mixture, and 0.7 equivalence ratio methane-oxygen mixture with added nitrogen is used in the study. Droplets of tap water on the order of 2-3 mm in diameter are introduced into the detonation tube. High-speed images are used to capture the droplet wave interaction.