Experimental Setup for Assessing the Energetic Materials Deflagration Propagation under High Temperature and High Pressure Conditions

The technology of "explosion in fractures" is one of new synthetic engineering methods used in low permeability reservoirs. The most important problem arose from the technology is to assess the deflagration propagation capability of milky explosives in rock fractures. In order to investigate detailed this problem in the laboratory, an experimental setup was designed and developed in which different conditions can be simulated. The experimental setup mainly includes two parts. One is the experimental part and the other is the measurement part. In the experimental setup, the narrow slots with different width can be simulated; meanwhile, different initial pressures and initial temperatures can be loaded on the explosives inside the narrow slots. The initial pressure range is from 0-60 MPa, and the initial temperatures range is from room temperature to 100 V. The temperature and the velocity of deflagration wave can be measured; meanwhile the corresponding pressure in the narrow slot is also measured. In the end, some typical measurement results are briefly presented and discussed.

Transient Flows in Low Permeability Porous Media with Composite Start-Up Pressure Gradient

A new mathematical model for the transient flow in the composite low permeability is established. It is solved by FEM with different boundary conditions such as infinite, circular closed and constant pressure boundary conditions. The typical curves for transient wellbore pressure have been presented. It is shown that the pressure and pressure derivative curves with composite start-up pressure gradients have different slopes which are depended on the start-up pressure gradients and the mobility radios in different regions. The boundary effects are the same as the normal reservoirs without start-up pressure gradients. The study provides a new tool to analyze the transient pressure test data in the low permeability reservoir.

The Pressure Transient Analysis Of Deformation Of Fractal Medium

The assumption of constant rock properties in pressure-transient analysis of stress-sensitive reservoirs can cause significant errors in the estimation of temporal and spatial variation of pressure. In this article, the pressure transient response of the fractal medium in stress-sensitive reservoirs was studied by using the self-similarity solution method and the regular perturbation method. The dependence of permeability on pore pressure makes the flow equation strongly nonlinear. The nonlinearities associated with the governing equation become weaker by using the logarithm transformation. The perturbation solutions for a constant pressure production and a constant rate production of a linear-source well were obtained by using the self-similarity solution method and the regular perturbation method in an infinitely large system, and inquire into the changing rule of pressure when the fractal and deformation parameters change. The plots of typical pressure curves were given in a few cases, and the results can be applied to well test analysis.

Microgravity Smoldering Combustion Of Flexible Polyurethane Foam With Central Ignition

Smoldering constitutes a significant fire risk both in normal gravity and in microgravity. This space experiment has been conducted aboard the China Recoverable Satellite SJ-8 to investigate smoldering characteristics of flexible polyurethane foam with central ignition in a forced flow of oxidizer. This configuration resulted in a combination of opposed and forward flow smolder. The microgravity experiment is rather unique in that it was performed at constant pressure, and with a relatively high ambient oxygen concentration (35% by volume). The smoldering characteristics are inferred from measurements of temperature histories at several locations along the foam sample. Particularly important is the discovery that there is a transition from smoldering to flaming near the sample end in the opposed smoldering. This transition seems to be caused by strong acceleration of the smoldering reaction. The observed transition serves to initiate a vigorous forward-propagating oxidation reaction in the char left behind by the smoldering reaction. The secondary char oxidation reaction propagates through the sample and consumes most of the remaining char. In forward flow smoldering, the oxidizer depletion by the upstream opposed smolder prevents an exothermic oxidation reaction from being established in the foam until this preceding reaction is completed. Once fresh oxidizer flows in the sample, the existing conditions are sufficient for a self-sustained forward smoldering reaction to take place.

Pressure-induced Raman-active radial breathing mode transition in single-wall carbon nanotubes

Using classical constant-pressure molecular dynamics simulations and the force constants model, radial breathing mode (RBM) transition of single-wall carbon nanotubes under hydrostatic pressure is reported. With the pressure increased, the RBM shifts linearly toward higher frequency, and the RBM transition occurs at the same critical pressure as the structural transition. The group theory indicates that the RBMs are all Raman-active; however, due to the effect of the frequency transition and the electronic structure change for tube radial deformation, the Raman intensity of the modes becomes so weak as not to be experimentally detected, which is in agreement with a recent experiment by S. Lebedkin [Phys. Rev. B 73, 094109 (2006)]. Furthermore, the calculated RBM transition pressure is well fitted to the cube of diameter (similar to 1/d(3)).

On the velocity of buckle propagation in a beam on a nonlinear elastic-foundation

The paper revisits a simple beam model used by Chater et al. (1983, Proc. IUTAM Symp. Collapse, Cambridge University Press) to examine the dynamics of propagating buckles on it. It was found that, if a buckle is initiated at a constant pressure higher than the propagation pressure of the model (P-p), the buckle accelerates and gradually reaches a constant velocity which depends upon the pressure, while if it is initiated at P-p, the buckle propagates at a velocity which depends upon the initial imperfection. The causes for the difference are also investigated.

Gas-bearing fluid influx sub-system for gas hydrate geological system in Shenhu Area, Northern South China Sea

Based on the comprehensive interpretation and study of the Neogene fracture system and diapiric structure, it can be concluded that the diapiric structures, high-angle fractures and vertical fissure system are the main gas-bearing fluid influx sub-system for gas hydrate geological system in Shenhu Area, northern South China Sea. The Neogene fractures widely developed in the study area may be classed into two groups: NW (NNW)-trending and NE (NNE)-trending. The first group was active in the Late Miocene, while the second one was active since the Pliocene. The NE (NNE)-trending fractures were characterized by lower activity strength and larger scale, and cut through the sediment layers deposited since the Pliocene. Within the top sediment layers, the high-angle fracture and vertical fissure system was developed. The diapiric structures display various types such as a turtle-back-like arch, weak piercing, gas chimney, and fracture (or crack, fissure). On the seismic profile, some diapiric structures show the vertical chimney pathway whose top is narrow and the bottom is wide, where some ones extend horizontally into pocket or flower-shaped structures and formed the seismic reflection chaotic zones. Within the overlying sediment layers of the diapiric structure, the tree branch, flower-shaped high-angle fractures and vertical fissures were developed and became the pathway and migration system of the gas-bearing fluid influx. In the study area, the diapiric structures indicate a high temperature/over pressure system ever developed. Closely associated and abundant bright-spots show the methane-bearing fluid influx migrated vertically or horizontally through the diapiric structures, high-angle fractures and vertical fissures. In the place where the temperature and pressure conditions were favor for the formation of gas hydrate, the hydrate reservoir deposition sub-system was developed.

华北克拉通孔玆岩系中石榴子石花岗岩的成因：熔体与残留相混合机制的研究

The most widespread rock associations in the Western Block of North China Craton are khondalites distributed mainly in Jining, Liangcheng and Datong. A large quantitiy of garnet-bearing granites are contained in the khondalites. A great deal of research has been carried out on them by previous researchers. Studies of these garnet-bearing granites consist essentially of structural characteristics, petrography and geochemistry, and finally geochronological determinations. Summing up these researches, it will not be difficult to see that all of these authors have regarded these large numbers of garnets (up to 20%) contained in granites as crystallized products from magmas, but they have not proved this from petrological perspective. Theoretically, there are possibly three kinds of petrogenesis as to these garnets. The first one is that they have been transferred to the granites from khondalites by melt when anatexis happened to khondalites, and they, in essence, are residual metamorphic garnets; The second one is that when the khondalites were being melted, these garnets were produced from biotite dehydration melting, and the newly formed garnets intruded together with the melt and eventually molded the garnet-bearing granites. Garnets of this possible kind either showed independent crystals, or garnets from khondalites took place secondary growth under favorable temperature and pressure conditions for their crystallization; The last possibility is that these garnets were crystallized from magmas in which suitable pressure, temperature and composition were available. These garnets, generally, should be fine-grained. The aim of this study is, through examining the mineral chemistry of the garnets and the whole rock chemistry, to ascertain under which kind of mechanism, in the world, did these garnets form? Besides, we try to calculate the temperatures under which khondalites began melting and reactions of the garnets and the cooled melts happened by garnet-biotite thermometry. The whole rock chemistry analyses of the garnet-bearing granites tell us that all the samples are strongly peraluminous (A/CNK greater than 1.1) on the A/NK vs. A/CNK plot. On the SiO2-K2O plot, the granites are mainly constrained to be high-K calc-alkaline and calc-alkaline series, consistent with previous researches. On the ACF（（Al2O3-Na2O-K2O）-FeO(T)-CaO） discrimination plot, all the six garnet-bearing granite samples drop into the area of S-type granites. The relationship between CaO/Na2O and SiO2 shows that the overwhelming majority of garnet-bearing granites have a CaO/Na2O value over 0.3, revealing that they probably come from metagreywacke precursors or mediate-felsic orthogeneisses compositionally similar to them. Detailed EPMA analyses conducted on the garnets contained in the garnet-bearing granites show that all the garnets are dominated by almandine and pyrope, which occupy 92-96% (Weight Percentage) of each garnet analyzed, typical of granulite facies. Their chemical composition is entirely different from those crystallized in magmas, but extremely similar to those of typical granulite facies metapelites in khondalites and typical granulites, indicating all the garnets to be metamorphogenic. In addition, REEs distribution patterns of the garnets are totally different from typical biotite granites and peraluminous granites. In other words, both LREE and HREE of our garnets are evidently lower than those from these two kinds of rocks. Moreover, compared to the REE pattern of the garnets from typical amphibolites, LREE content of our garnets is obviously higher and HREE content is a little lower. However, REE patterns of our garnets are completely in harmony with those of garnets from typical granulites. So, the REE patterns of garnets, again, prove that all the garnets we studied are metamorphogenic. Biotites appear in two forms, being as inclusions in the garnet and as selvages immediately adjacent to the garnet, respectively. Two reactions and their corresponding temperatures, with the help of petrography and Garnet-Biotite geothermometers, could be obtained, which are Bt+ Pl+ Qtz→Kfs+ Opx+ Grt+ melt as positive reaction and Kfs+ Grt+ melt→Bt+ Pl+ Qtz as reverse reaction, respectively. Summing up the discussion above, we declare that the garnet-bearing granites distributed in the Western Block of North China Craton are the mixture of melts and restites resulted from biotite dehydration melting. The garnets contained in the restites are the products from biotite dehydration melting and restites from the khondalites, respectively.

二氧化碳在孔隙咸水层中多相流动数值模拟研究

There has been a growing concern about the use of fossil fuels and its adverse effects on the atmospheric greenhouse and ecological environment. A reduction in the release rate of CO2 into the atmosphere poses a major challenge to the land ecology of China. The most promising way of achieving CO2 reduction is to dispose of CO2 in deep saline aquifers. Deep aquifers have a large potential for CO2 sequestration in geological medium in terms of volume and duration. Through the numerical simulation of multiphase flow in a porous media, the transformation and motion of CO2 in saline aquifers has been implemented under various temperature and hydrostatic pressure conditions, which plays an important role to the assessment of the reliability and safety of CO2 geological storage. As expected, the calculated results can provide meaningful and scientific information for management purposes. The key problem to the numerical simulation of multiphase flow in a porous media is to accurately capture the mass interface and to deal with the geological heterogeneity. In this study, the updated CE/SE (Space and time conservation element and solution element) method has been proposed, and the Hybrid Particle Level Set method (HPLS) has extended for multiphase flows in porous medium, which can accurately trace the transformation of the mass interface. The benchmark problems have been applied to evaluate and validate the proposed method. In this study, the reliability of CO2 storage in saline aquifers in Daqingzi oil field in Sunlong basin has been discussed. The simulation code developed in this study takes into account the state for CO2 covering the triple point temperature and pressure to the supercritical region. The geological heterogeneity has been implemented, using the well known geostatistical model (GSLIB) on the base of the hard data. The 2D and 3D model have been set up to simulate the CO2 multiphase flow in the porous saline aquifer, applying the CE/SE method and the HPLS method .The main contents and results are summarized as followings. (1) The 2D CE/SE method with first and second –order accuracy has been extended to simulate the multiphase flow in porous medium, which takes into account the contribution of source and sink in the momentum equation. The 3D CE/SE method with the first accuracy has been deduced. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed CE/SE method have been investigated, using the benchmark problems. (2) The hybrid particle level set method has been made appropriate and extended for capturing the mass interface of multiphase flows in porous media, and the numerical method for level set function calculated has been formulated. (3) The closed equations for multiphase flow in porous medium has been developed, adept to both the Darcy flow and non-Darcy flow, getting over the limitation of Reynolds number to the calculation. It is found that Darcy number has a decisive influence on pressure as well as velocity given the Darcy number. (4) The new Euler scheme for numerical simulations of multiphase flows in porous medium has been proposed, which is efficient and can accurately capture the mass interface. The artificial compressibility method has been used to couple the velocities and pressure. It is found that the Darcy number has determinant effects on the numerical convergence and stability. In terms of the different Darcy numbers, the coefficient of artificial compressibility and the time step have been obtained. (5) The time scale of the critical instability for critical CO2 in the saline aquifer has been found, which is comparable with that of completely CO2 dissolved saline aquifer. (6) The concept model for CO2 multiphase flows in the saline aquifer has been configured, based on the temperature, pressure, porosity as well as permeability of the field site .Numerical simulation of CO2 hydrodynamic trapping in saline aquifers has been performed, applying the proposed CE/SE method. The state for CO2 has been employed to take into account realistic reservoir conditions for CO2 geological sequestration. The geological heterogeneity has been sufficiently treated , using the geostatistical model. (7) It is found that the Rayleigh-Taylor instability phenomenon, which is associated with the penetration of saline fluid into CO2 fluid in the direction of gravity, has been observed in CO2 multiphase flows in the saline aquifer. Development of a mushroom-type spike is a strong indication of the formation of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability due to the developed short wavelength perturbations present along the interface and parallel to the bulk flow. Additional key findings: the geological heterogeneity can distort the flow convection. The ascending of CO2 can induce the persistent flow cycling effects. The results show that boundary conditions of the field site have determinant effects on the transformation and motion of CO2 in saline aquifers. It is confirmed that the proposed method and numerical model has the reliability to simulate the process of the hydrodynamic trapping, which is the controlling mechanism for the initial period of CO2 storage at time scale of 100 years.

东海陆架盆地西南部烟囱构造与油气运聚关系研究

In recent years, chimney structure has been proved one of important indicators and a useful guide to major petroleum fields exploration through their exploration history both at home and abroad. Chimney structure, which has been called "gas chimney" or "seismic chimney", is the special fluid-filled fracture swarm, which results from the boiling of active thermal fluid caused by abruptly decreasing of high pressure and high temperature in sedimentary layers of upper lithosphere. Chimney structure is well developed in continental shelf basin of East China Sea, which indicates the great perspectives of petroleum resources there. However, the chimney structure also complicated the petroleum accumulation. So the study of chimney structure on its formation, its effect on occurrence and distribution of petroleum fields is very important not only on theoretical, but also on its applied research. It is for the first time to make a clear definition of chimney structure in this paper, and the existence and practical meaning of chimney structure are illustrated. Firstly, on the viewpoint of exploration, this will amplify exploration area or field, not only in marine, but also on continent. Secondly, this is very important to step-by-step exploration and development of petroleum fields with overpressure. Thirdly, this will provide reference for the study on complex petroleum system with multi-sources, commingled sources and accumulation, multi-stage accumulations, and multi-suits petroleum system in the overlay basin. Fourthly, when the thermal fluid enters the oceanic shallow layer, it can help form gas hydrate under favorable low-temperature and high-pressure conditions. Meanwhile, the thermal fluid with its particular component and thermal content will affect the physical, chemical and ecological environments, which will help solving the problem of global resources and environment. Beginning from the regional tectonic evolution characteristics, this paper discussed the tectonic evolution history of the Taibei depression, then made an dynamical analysis of the tectonic-sedimentary evolution during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic for the East China Sea basin. A numerical model of the tectonic-thermal evolution of the basin via the Basin-Mod technique was carried out and the subsidence-buried history and thermal history of the Taibei depression were inverse calculated: it had undergone a early rapid rift and sag, then three times of uplift and erosion, and finally depressed and been buried. The Taibei depression contains a huge thick clastic sedimentary rock of marine facies, transitional facies and continental facies on the complex basement of ante-Jurassic. It is a part of the back-arc rifting basins occurred during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The author analyzed the diagenesis and thermal fluid evolution of this area via the observation of cathodoluminescence, scanning electron microscope and thin section, taking advantage of the evidences of magma activities, paleo-geothermics and structural movement, the author concluded that there were at least three tectonic-thermal events and three epochs of thermal-fluid activities; and the three epochs of thermal-fluid activities were directly relative to the first two tectonic-thermal events and were controlled by the generation and expulsion of hydrocarbon in the source rock simultaneously. Based on these, this paper established the corresponding model between the tectonic-thermal events and the thermal-fluid evolution of the Taibei Depression, which becomes the base for the study on the chimney structures. According to the analyses of the gas-isotope, LAM spectrum component of fluid inclusion, geneses of CO_2 components and geneses of hydrocarbon gases, the author preliminarily verified four sources of the thermal fluid in the Taibei Depression: ① dehydration of mud shale compaction, ② expulsion of hydrocarbon in the source rock; ③ CO_2 gas hydro-thermal decomposition of carbonatite; ④magma-derived thermal fluid including the mantle magma water and volatile components (such as H_2O, CO_2, H_2S, SO_2, N_2 and He etc.). On the basis of the vitrinite reflectance (Ro), homogenization temperature of fluid inclusion, interval transit time of major well-logging, mud density of the wells, measured pressure data and the results of previous studies, this paper analyzed the characteristics of the geothermal fields and geo-pressure fields for the various parts in this area, and discussed the transversal distribution of fluid pressure. The Taibei depression on the whole underwent a temperature-loss process from hot basin to cold basin; and locally high thermal anomalies occurred on the regional background of moderate thermal structure. The seal was primarily formed during the middle and late Paleocene. The overpressured system was formed during the middle and late Eocene. The formation of overpressured system in Lishui Sag underwent such an evolutionary process as "form-weaken-strengthen-weaken". Namely, it was formed during the middle and late Eocene, then was weakened in the Oligocene, even partly broken, then strengthened after the Miocene, and finally weakened. The existence of the thermal fluid rich in volatile gas is a physical foundation for the boiling of the fluid, and sharply pressure depletion was the major cause for the boiling of the fluid, which suggests that there exists the condition for thermal fluid to boil. According to the results of the photoelastic simulation and similarity physical experiments, the geological condition and the formation mechanism of chimnestructures are summarized: well compartment is the prerequisite for chimney formation; the boiling of active thermal fluid is the original physical condition for chimney formation; The local place with low stress by tension fault is easy for chimney formation; The way that thermal fluid migrates is one of the important factors which control the types of chimney structures. Based on where the thermal fluid come from and geometrical characteristics of the chimney structures, this paper classified the genetic types of chimney structures, and concluded that there existed three types and six subtypes chimney structures: organic chimney structures generated by the hydrocarbon-bearing thermal fluid in middle-shallow layers, inorganic and commingling-genetic chimney structures generated by thermal fluid in middle-deep layers. According to the seismic profiles interpretations, well logging response analysis and mineralogical and petrological characteristics in the study area, the author summarized the comprehensive identification marks for chimney structures. Especially the horizon velocity analysis method that is established in this paper and takes advantage of interval velocity anomaly is a semi-quantitative and reliable method of chimney structure s identification. It was pointed out in this paper that the occurrence of the chimney structures in the Taibei depression made the mechanism of accumulation complicated. The author provided proof of episodic accumulation of hydrocarbon in this area: The organic component in the boiling inclusion is the trail of petroleum migration, showing the causality between the boiling of thermal fluid and the chimney structures, meanwhile showing the paroxysmal accumulation is an important petroleum accumulation model. Based on the evolutionary characteristics of various types of chimney structures, this paper discussed their relationships with the migration-accumulation of petroleum respectively. At the same time, the author summarized the accumulating-dynamical models associated with chimney structures. The author analyzed such accumulation mechanisms as the facies state, direction, power of petroleum migration, the conditions of trap, the accumulation, leakage and reservation of petroleum, and the distribution rule of petroleum. The author also provides explanation for such practical problems the existence of a lot of mantle-derived CO_2, and its heterogeneous distribution on plane. By study on and recognition for chimney structure, the existence and distribution of much mantle-derived CO_2 found in this area are explained. Caused by tectonic thermal activities, the deep magma with much CO_2-bearing thermal fluid migrate upward along deep fault and chimney structures, which makes two wells within relatively short distance different gas composition, such as in well LF-1 and well LS36-1-1. Meanwhile, the author predicted the distribution of petroleum accumulation belt in middle-shallow layer for this area, pointed out the three favorable exploration areas in future, and provided the scientific and deciding references for future study on the commingling-genetic accumulation of petroleum in middle-deep layer and the new energy-gas hydrate.

南海天然气水合物地热学研究

Through generalizing the thermal field characteristics in gas hydrates distribution area in the world, the favorable thermal conditions for gas hydrates in the South China Sea are analyzed firstly. On the basis of above analysis, focused on the gas hydrates stability zone (GHSZ), the dissertation initiated the gas hydrates studies with geothermal methods in the South China Sea which will provide useful information for gas hydrates resource exploration and evaluation in the future. On the basis of study on hydrates phase equilibrium and the GHSZ affecting factors, the potential planar distribution of gas hydrates is determined by studying the temperature and pressure conditions in the sea bottom with different water depth, and the thickness of GHSZ is attained by solving the hydrates phase boundary curve equation and geothermal gradient curve equation. The result shows that, if the chemical composition of hydrocarbons contains methane only and the salt content of water is 3.5%, hydrates can form and keep stable at sea bottom at water depth not less than 550m, and the thickness of GHSZ is more than 200m in Xisha Through, Southeastern area of Dongsha Islands, Southwestern basin of Taiwan Island, northern area of Nansha Trough. The GHSZ is thicker with heat flow, geothermal gradient, and thermal conductivity decreasing, and with water depth increasing. Geothermal field simulating also attains the base of GHSZ in Xisha through, which is less than the depth of BSR. Although the present T-P conditions is not the most favorable for gas hydrates through 6Ma history, gas hydrates are still profitable in Xisha Through, Southeastern area of Dongsha Islands, Southwestern basin of Taiwan Island, Luzon Trough and northern area of Nansha Trough by systemic study on the sedimentary and structural characteristics, the conditions of T-P and natural gas source, considering geochemical and geophysical indications found in the South China Sea.

Effects of ultrahigh pressure extraction conditions on yields and antioxidant activity of ginsenoside from ginseng

Ultrahigh pressure technique was employed to extract ginsenosides from roots of ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer). The optimal conditions for ultrahigh pressure extraction (UPE) of total ginsenosides were quantified by UV-vis spectrophotometry with the ginsenoside Re as standard, the signal ginsenosides were quantified by HPLC and ELSD with ginsenosides Re, Rg(1), Rb-1, Rc and Rb-2 as standards. Orthogonal design was applied to evaluate the effects of four independent factors (extraction pressure, extraction temperature, extraction time and ethanol concentration) on the yield and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of ginsenoside, which are based on microwave extraction (ME), ultrasound extraction (UE), soxhlet extraction (SE) and heat reflux extraction (HRE) method. The results showed that UPE method can produce ginsenoside with the highest yield and the best radical scavenging activity compared to other used ones. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of the plant cells after ultrahigh pressure treatment was obtained to provide visual evidence of the disruption effect.

Structure characteristics and valence state study for La1-xNaxTiO3 synthesized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions

By using a novel high-pressure, high-temperature method, perovskite oxides of La1-xNaxTiO3 (x = 0.05, 0.1-0.8) with mixed valence state were synthesized. XRD analysis shows a cubic cell for the samples. Cell volumes of the samples with 0.1 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.5 decreases as x increases, and the cell Volume for x = 0.05 is smaller than that for x = 0.1. XPS of surface and EPR measurements indicate that Ti ions are of mixed valence of +3 and +4 and that A-cations vacancies exist in the samples. As x increases, the amount of Ti3+ ions decreases and the amount of A-cations vacancies increases. The valence state of Ti ions can be altered by changing both pressure and temperature. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Visualization of dust explosion under microgravity conditions

The objective of this work was to apply visualization methods to the experimental study of cornstarch dust-air mixture combustion in a closed vessel volume under microgravity conditions. A dispersion system with a small scale of turbulence was used in the experiments. A gas igniter initiated combustion of the dust-air mixture in the central or top part of the vessel. Flame propagation through the quiescent mixture was recorded by a high-speed video camera. Experiments showed a very irregular flame front and irregular distribution of the regions with local reactions of re-burning behind the flame front. at a later stage of combustion. Heat transfer from the hot combustion products to the walls is shown to have an important role in the combustion development. The maximum pressure and maximum rate of pressure rise were higher for flame propagation from the vessel center than for flame developed from the top pan of the vessel. The reason for smaller increase of the rate of pressure rise, for the flame developed from the top of the vessel. in comparison with that developed from the vessel center, was much faster increase of the contact surface of the combustion gases with the vessel walls. It was found that in dust flames only small part of hear was released at the flame front, the remaining part being released far behind it.