Burning speed of silane-nitrous oxide mixtures - Chemical Kinetics in Shock and Detonation Wave

Silane-nitrous oxide mixtures are widely used in a number of industries. Despite a wide range of applications, the kinetics and explosive properties of silane-based mixtures are not well characterized. In particular, very few experimental data are available concern- ing their burning speed. In the present study, we have measured the burning speed and explosion pressure dynamic parameters of silane-nitrous oxide-argon mixtures at P=50 and 100 kPa and T=300 K for equivalence ratio between 0.3 and 2.6. These silane-based mixtures exhibit high burning speeds and large rates of pressure increase. A detailed reac- tion model was constructed and demonstrates reasonable agreement with the experimen- tal data for equivalence up to 1.2. For richer mixtures, the burning speed is significantly over-predicted. This is likely due to radiative heat losses by the condensed combustion products.