Shock wave and flame front induced detonation in rapid compression machine - Chemical Kinetics in Shock and Detonation Wave

Super-knock constitutes the major obstacle for the development of more efficient, high energy-density spark ignition internal combustion engine, ICE. Whereas a large number of studies have employed one- dimensional simulations to investigate the dynamics of end-gas auto-ignition and combustion wave propagation in reactivity gradients, two-dimensional simulations are needed to unravel the initiation of detonation under the highly complex conditions encountered in ICE. In the present study, experimental work in a RCM and two-dimensional numerical simulations with realistic chemistry are combined to investigate detonation initiation through the so-called shock wave and flame front induced detonation process (SWFID). It was shown that the shocks interaction at the density interface between the fresh gas and the burnt gas originating from the spark plug enables the end-gas flame front to accelerate and couple with the shock front to initiate a self-sustained detonation wave.