Experimentally, the propagation of detonation waves in methane-air mixtures has been investigated. In a tube having a large length to diameter ratio steady state wave propagation was achieved. The actual propagation velocities were close to the calculated Chapman-Jouguet velocities. The limits of detonation were ascertained to be between 8 and 14.5 percent methane. A minimum initiation energy density of 9.42MJ/m 2 was established for stoichiometric mixtures implying the need for rather substantial charges for the initiation of spherically symmetric systems. In all cases the detonation wave exhibited a spinning structure. The motion compensated and laser schlieren photographs, smoked foil traces, and pressure transducer records strongly support the currently accepted model for the structure of such a wave, which results in the creation of extremely high local overpressures.
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