Large Scale Experiments- Deflagration and Deflagration to Detonation within a Partial Confinement Similar to a Lane

About 20 years ago Fraunhofer ICT has performed large scale experiments with premixed hydrogen air mixtures [1]. A special feature has been the investigation of the combustion of the mixture within a partial confinement, simulating some sort of a “lane”, which may exist in reality within a hydrogen production or storage plant for example. Essentially three different types of tests have been performed: combustion of quiescent mixtures, combustion of mixtures with artificially generated turbulence by means of a fan and combustion of mixtures with high speed flame jet ignition. The observed phenomena will be discussed on the basis of measured turbulence levels, flame speeds, and overpressures. Conditions for DDT concerning critical turbulence levels and flame speeds as well as a scaling rule for DDT related to the detonation cell size of the mixture can be derived from the experiments for this special test setup. The relevance of the results with respect to safety aspects of future hydrogen technology is assessed. Combustion phenomena will be highlighted by the presentation of impressive high speed film videos.