An Arrhenius-Wescott-Stewart-Davis (AWSD) reactive flow model of nitromethane

A thermodynamically complete equation of state (EOS) and reactive flow model of nitromethane is developed. Empirical Davis reactant and products EOSs are based on experimental data as well as higher-fidelity models from quantum molecular dynamics simulations and thermochemical codes. Although the Arrhenius-Wescott-Stewart-Davis (AWSD) reactive flow model was originally devised for heterogeneous plastic bonded explosives, it can capture the salient features of homogeneous shock initiation, including superdetonation prior to turnover, observed experimentally in nitromethane. This is due to the model rate form having Arrhenius sensitivity to temperature. A complete set of AWSD rate parameters are calibrated to embedded electromagnetic gauge experiments. The resulting shock to detonation characteristics, model length scales, one-dimensional and two-dimensional stability will be presented.