Low velocity detonation trap for monopropellant fuel systems

A low velocity detonation trap for preventing propagation of a low velocity detonation of monopropellant fuel within a fuel system, the detonation trap comprising:

• a housing having a fuel flow passage therein extending between and in fluid communication with a fuel inlet at a first end of the housing and a fuel outlet at a second end of the housing, the fuel inlet connected to and in fluid communication with an upstream portion of the fuel system and the fuel outlet connected to and in fluid communication with a downstream portion of the fuel system;
• an acceleration zone portion of the fuel flow passage adjacent the fuel outlet, the acceleration zone converging from a first diameter at the fuel outlet to a smaller diameter in a direction away from the fuel outlet, the acceleration zone receiving the low velocity detonation propagating within the downstream portion and amplifying a pressure wave associated with the low velocity detonation to an energized state capable of high velocity detonation;
• an expansion area portion of the fuel flow passage in fluid communication with the acceleration zone, the expansion area adjacent to and upstream from the acceleration zone and receiving the amplified pressure wave from the acceleration zone, the expansion area having an expansion diameter larger than a critical diameter of the monopropellant fuel to ensure detonation of the fuel as a high velocity detonation;
• and
• a high velocity detonation trap portion of the fuel flow passage adjacent the fuel inlet, the high velocity detonation trap in fluid communication with the expansion area and having a plurality of trap passages, the trap passages each having a trap diameter smaller that the critical diameter, the high velocity detonation trap receiving the high velocity detonation and preventing further propagation of the high velocity detonation within the upstream portion of fuel system.