Unsteady droplet combustion with droplet heating-II: Conduction limit

C. K. Law, W. A. Sirignano

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

185 Scopus citations

Abstract

The spherically-symmetric, thin-flame combustion of a pure component droplet is analyzed by assuming quasi-steady gas-phase processes and conduction being the only heat transfer mechanism within the droplet. Exact numerical, and an approximate analytical, solutions are presented. Results show that droplet heating is the dominant heat utilization mode for the initial 10-20% of the droplet lifetime, during which rapid changes in all combustion characteristics occur; that although unsteadiness within the droplet can prevail until burnout, the droplet surface regresses almost linearly after about 20% of its lifetime; and that accurate predictions on the droplet size, mass, and lifetime can be obtained regardless of how internal heat transfer is modelled.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)175-186
Number of pages12
JournalCombustion and Flame
Volume28
Issue numberC
DOIs
StatePublished - 1977
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Chemistry
  • General Chemical Engineering
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • General Physics and Astronomy

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