Effectiveness of combustion of shock-dispersed fuels in calorimeters of various volumes

The combustion of a shock-dispersed-fuel charge consisting of 1-g flake Al in 6.6-, 21.5-, and 40.5-liter bomb calorimeters were investigated. Wall pressure histories were used to diagnose the effect of energy release due to turbulent mixing and combustion of the explosion cloud with air. These effects lead to a factor of four increase in the peak quasistatic pressure for the 6.6-liter chamber. Pressure decay was observed at late times and was ascribed to energy losses to the walls due to radiation heat transfer.