Induction and reaction times of hydrogen–air mixtures (ϕ = 0.5–2) have been measured behind reflected shock waves at temperatures of 1000–1600 K, pressures of 0.1, 0.3, 0.6 MPa in the domain of the extended second explosion limit. The measurements were performed in the shock tube with a completely transparent test section of 0.5 m long, which provides pressure, ion current, OH and high-speed chemiluminescence observations. The experimental induction time plots demonstrate a clear increasing of the global activation energy from high- to low temperature post-shock conditions. This trend is strongly pronounced at higher post-shock pressures. For a high-temperature range of T > 1200 K, induction time measurements show an activation energy for the global reaction rate of hydrogen oxidation of 64–83 kJ/mole. Detected reaction times exhibit a big scatter and a weak temperature dependence. The minimum reaction time value was nearly 2 µs. Obtained induction time data were compared with calculations carried out in accordance with the known kinetic mechanisms. For current and former shock-tube experiments within a pressure range of 0.1–2 MPa, critical temperatures required for strong (1000–1100 K), transient and weak auto-ignition modes behind reflected shock waves were identified by means of the pressure and ion-probe measurements in stoichiometric hydrogen-air mixture. The transfer from the strong volumetric self-ignition near the reflecting wall to the hot spot ignition (transient) was established and visualized below <1200 K with a post-shock temperature decreasing.

Ignition of a stoichiometric methane—air mixture in a piston-driven setup at temperatures of 900–1200 K and pressures of 1–1.2 MPa is experimentally studied. The experiments reveal the emergence of bright points in the duct of the facility. The measurements show that luminescence in the volume appears almost immediately after the end of the compression stage, whereas the methane—air mixture ignites only after 4–5 ms. Presumably, these bright points appear owing to ignition of fine particles. It is experimentally found that ignition of these particles reduces the ignition delay time of the gas mixture. A physicomathematical model of ignition of methane-oxygen-nitrogen/argon mixtures in the presence of fine metal particles is proposed to obtain a theoretical description of this phenomenon. This model takes into account both detailed kinetic mechanisms of chemical conversions in the reacting gas mixture and reduced kinetic mechanisms of oxidation of metal particles. Calculations by this model show that ignition of particles at low temperatures (less than 1100 K) leads to reduction of the ignition delay time of the gas mixture.

Gaseous detonation propagation in a thin channel with regularly spaced cylindrical obstacles was investigated experimentally and numerically. The wave propagation with substantial velocity deficits is observed and the details of its propagation mechanism are described based on experimental measurements of the luminosity and pressure and on three-dimensional flow fields obtained by numerical simulations. Both experiments and simulations indicate a significant role of shock–shock and shock–obstacle interactions in providing high-temperature conditions necessary to sustain the reaction wave propagation.