Theory of Detonations. II. Reversible Unimolecular Reaction

Abstract

The effect of a back reaction on the chemical and thermal profiles in a steady-state plane gaseous detonation wave supported by an exothermic unimolecular reaction is considered. Just as in the irreversible case, considered in the previous paper, the character of the solutions of the detonation equations change when the Mach number becomes greater than unity. However, in agreement with the conclusions of Wood and Kirkwood, for the reversible reaction, this critical Mach number has the value of unity only when it is defined in terms of the equilibrium velocity of sound.