ABSTRACT
The present review investigates the physical significance of the χ parameter introduced earlier by the authors, defined as the product of the ratio of characteristic induction and reaction times, the non-dimensional activation energy and chemical energy release. It is shown that this unique parameter controls the acceleration of reaction waves in hotspot ignition and formation of localized strong shocks. It can also serve as an excellent indicator to categorize the stability and detonability of a given mixture.
Keywords: Detonability criteria, Explosion safety, Hot spot ignition.