Development and discretization of virtual geometries for the analysis of air-hydrogen explosions

¹ National Institute for Research & Development in Mine Safety and Protection to Explosion – INSEMEX Petrosani, 32-34 G-ral. V. Milea Street, 332047, Romania
² University of Petroşani, 20 Universităţii street, Petrosani, 332006, Romania

^* Corresponding author: daniel.florea@insemex.ro

Abstract

This paper presents a theoretical and methodological framework for the creation and discretization of virtual geometries corresponding to experimental models used in the study of air-hydrogen mixture explosions. Based on the specialized literature in the field of numerical simulations and finite volume modeling, the study focuses on the reconstruction of three-dimensional configurations of physical experimental spaces and the application of appropriate discretization strategies to accurately capture the complex phenomena of hydrogen explosions in confined spaces. Special emphasis is placed on the geometric fidelity of the virtual models, which is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of subsequent numerical analyses of air-hydrogen explosions. The challenges related to adapting finite volume methods to the specific geometry of experimental configurations are discussed, including mesh generation, boundary condition implementation, and numerical stability. Furthermore, the paper highlights the critical sets of parameters used in CFD simulations of air-hydrogen explosions in enclosed spaces, emphasizing their impact on the accuracy and relevance of numerical results. This theoretical foundation supports the development of computational tools aimed at improving safety assessments and deepening the understanding of hydrogen combustion dynamics. The results contribute to bridging the gap between physical experimentation and virtual simulation environments, enabling enhanced predictive capabilities for explosion behavior in both industrial and research contexts.