The flow in a detonating explosive tube

The flow configuration produced by the axial detonation of a hollow cylindrical shaped charge was studied experimentally and theoretically. The detonation products in the bore were found to outrun the detonation and to produce a strong shock in the gas inside the bore. Changes in the adiabatic exponents of the shocked gas and of the detonation fumes were considered. Such explosive tubes can be used as shock tubes, for the acceleration of projectiles, for point initiation (in the case of very small bore), for MHD-power generation, etc., since the flow velocities under standard atmospheric conditions can exceed 12 km/sec.