Numerical study of chain-reaction implosions in a spatial array of ceramic pressure hulls in the deep sea using a compressible multiphase flow model.

This article focuses on establishing and validating a numerical model for chain-reaction implosions of ceramic pressure hull arrays used in deep-sea underwater vehicles. The model integrates compressible multiphase flow theory with structural finite element methods (FEM) and ceramic material failure criteria to simulate implosion processes and their propagation effects at extreme depths (11,000 m). Experimental implosion tests on single ceramic hulls verified the model's accuracy, which was then applied to analyze both simultaneous and sequential (chain-reaction) implosions in 3×3×3 ceramic hull arrays. Key findings include that chain-reaction implosions are triggered by low-pressure expansion waves causing uneven stress on adjacent hulls, and that implosion shockwaves converge at the array center, producing the largest amplitude shockwave—a phenomenon termed the converging effect. The study also shows that simultaneous implosion models overestimate shockwave amplitudes compared to chain-reaction simulations, highlighting the latter's greater practical accuracy for guiding the design and spatial arrangement of ceramic pressure hulls to mitigate implosion risks.