Bakai I. Olajuwon, Amos O. Popoola
Department of Mathematics
University of Agriculture
Abeokuta, NIGERIA
Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Osun State University
Osogbo, NIGERIA

Abstract. The paper studies a model for combustion of self heating chemicals which are in drums inside a sealed shipping container. The stability of interacting drums of chemicals is a problem of great importance for the safety of manufacturers, users and handlers of the energetic material. Since the rate of reaction varies rapidly with temperature, the paper objectively examines the role of temperature on stability of the energetic materials and specifically investigates the effect of temperature broadening exponent called numerical exponent on its stability. The criteria for which stable focus, unstable focus and Hopf's bifurcation may occur in the new model are established. Of major interest is a criterion on the numerical exponent for which maximum ambient temperature could be attained.

Received: March 25, 2011

AMS Subject Classification:

Key Words and Phrases: stability, reaction order, temperature broadening exponent, sealed container

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