An assessment of the OpenFOAM implementation of the KNP scheme to simulate strong explosions

Abstract

This paper explores the ability of the Kurganov, Noelle, and Petrova numerical scheme included in the rhoCentralFoam solver of the OpenFOAM™ software to model strong explosion processes, using typical gas dynamics concepts. The main objective of this study was to obtain a numerical tool to simulate strong explosions. Once the generated blast waves and their propagation were simulated, the numerical results were compared with those of Sedov’s analytical solutions. Both numerical and analytical results were obtained from applications to geometrically cylindrical and spherical explosions. All comparisons were focused on the shock position as time elapsed and on the evolution of flow properties after the shock wave.