Numerical simulations of the mitigation of unconfined explosions using water-mist

Mitigating the effects of explosive blasts has been an important concern for a long time. Water-mist presents an attractive option due to its easy availability, extensive use in the fire suppression area, and non-toxicity. However, its ability to mitigate the effects of blasts is unclear. This research uses multiphase numerical simulations to elucidate some of the issues associated with using water-mist to mitigate explosive blasts in unconfined spaces. Initial multidimensional simulations examine the effect of water-mist on the blast wave generated by a TNT explosive. Results show that the droplets are generally swept outward with the shock wave and in general do not penetrate into the secondary fireball. The water-mist does, however, mitigate the shock-front through vaporization and momentum extraction. Further simulations show that momentum extraction has the dominant role in mitigating the leading shock wave. Parametric studies indicate that droplet size and mass loading play a secondary role to the total amount of water between the observer and the explosive blast. This is a promising result for using water-mist for blast-mitigation, because it suggests that water-mist can be as effective as having a more dense “water wall” surrounding the explosive.