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Initiation of combustion waves in solids, and the effects of geometry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2009

J. Brindley ,
J. F. Griffiths ,
A. C. McIntosh  and
J. Zhang
J. Brindley
Affiliation:
School of Mathematics, Leeds University, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
J. F. Griffiths
Affiliation:
School of Chemistry, Leeds University, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
A. C. McIntosh
Affiliation:
Department of Fuel and Energy, Leeds University, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
J. Zhang
Affiliation:
School of Chemistry, Leeds University, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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Abstract

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In a recent paper Weber et al. [9] examined the propagation of combustion waves in a semi-infinite gaseous or solid medium. Whereas their main concern was the behaviour of waves once they had been initiated, we concentrate here on the initiation of such waves in a solid medium and have not examined in detail the steadiness or otherwise of the waves subsequent to their formation. The investigation includes calculations for finite systems. The results for a slab, cylinder and sphere are compared.

Critical conditions for initiation of ignition by a power source are established. For a slab the energy input is spread uniformly over one boundary surface. In the case of cylindrical or spherical symmetry it originates from a cylindrical core or from a small, central sphere, respectively. The size of source and reactant body is important in the last two cases. With the exception of the initial temperature distribution, the equations investigated are similar in form to those of Weber et al. [5,9] and, as a prelude to the present study, with very simple adaptation, it has been possible to reproduce the results of the earlier work. We then go on to report the result of calculations for the initiation of ignition under different geometries with various initial and boundary conditions.

Type
Research Article
Information
The ANZIAM Journal , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , July 2001 , pp. 149 - 163
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Mathematical Society 2001

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