Modeling Deflagration in Energetic Materials using the Uintah Computational Framework

Predictive computer simulations of highly resolved large-scale 3D deflagrations and detonations are dependent on a robust reaction model embedded in a computational framework capable of running on massively parallel computer architectures. We have been developing such a model in the Uintah Computational Framework, which has exhibited good strong and weak scaling characteristics up to 512 K cores[16]. Our focus is on predicting a Deflagration to Detonation Transition (DDT) when a large number of energetic devices are present. An example of this is a semi-tractor-trailer loaded with thousands of mining boosters that rolled over, ignited and went through a DDT. Our current reaction model adapts components from a) Ward, Son and Brewster[22] which incorporates the effects of pressure and initial temperature on deflagration,b) Berghout et al. [9] to model burning in cracks of damaged explosives, and c) Souers[20] for describing fully developed detonation. The reaction model has been subjected to extensive validation against experimental tests. Current efforts are focused on the effects of varying the grid resolution on multiple aspects of deflagration and the transition to detonation.