Control model for burning-bubble clouds formed by confined melt-cast explosives under thermal stimulation

DNAN-based insensitive melt-cast explosives have been widely utilized in insensitive munition in recent years. When constrained DNAN-based melt-cast explosives are ignited under thermal stimulation, the base explosive exists in a molten liquid state, where high-temperature gases expand and react in the form of bubble clouds within the liquid explosive; this process is distinctly different from the dynamic crack propagation process observed in the case of solid explosives. In this study, a control model for the reaction evolution of burning-bubble clouds was established to describe the reaction process and quantify the reaction violence of DNAN-based melt-cast explosives, considering the size distribution and activation mechanism of the burning-bubble clouds. The feasibility of the model was verified through experimental results. The results revealed that under geometrically similar conditions, with identical confinement strength and aspect ratio, larger charge structures led to extended initial gas flow and surface burning processes, resulting in greater reaction equivalence and violence at the casing fracture. Under constant charge volume and size, a stronger casing confinement accelerated self-enhanced burning, increasing the internal pressure, reaction degree, and reaction violence. Under a constant casing thickness and radius, higher aspect ratios led to a greater reaction violence at the casing fracture. Moreover, under a constant charge volume and casing thickness, higher aspect ratios resulted in a higher internal pressure, increased reaction degree, and greater reaction violence at the casing fracture. Further, larger ullage volumes extended the reaction evolution time and increased the reaction violence under constant casing dimensions. Through a matching design of the opening threshold of the pressure relief holes and the relief structure area, a stable burning reaction could be maintained until completion, thereby achieving a control of the reaction violence. The proposed model could effectively reflect the effects of the intrinsic burning rate, casing confinement strength, charge size, ullage volume, and pressure relief structure on the reaction evolution process and reaction violence, providing a theoretical method for the thermal safety design and reaction violence evaluation of melt-cast explosives.