New developments in the theory of flame propagation

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:415067

Sivashinsky, G I ^[1]

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1. City College of the City Univ. of New York, NY (United States)

Two topics in combustion fluid mechanics are discussed. The first is a theory of the outward propagating spherical flame in the regime of well-developed hydrodynamic instability. In a qualitative agreement with experimental observations it is shown that the flame assumes a fractal-like wrinkled structure resulting in the overall burning rate acceleration. In contrast to hydrodynamically unstable flames, the expanding flame subject exclusively to the effect of diffusive instability does not indicate any disposition toward acceleration. The second topic concerns the dynamics of diffusively unstable flames subjected to radiative heat losses. At high enough heat losses the flame breaks up into separate self-propagating cap-like flamelets while a significant portion of the fuel remains unconsumed.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-88ER13822
• OSTI ID: 415067
• Report Number(s): CONF-9605186--; ON: DE96015339
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

40 CHEMISTRY
COMBUSTION KINETICS
FLAME PROPAGATION
HEAT LOSSES
HYDRODYNAMICS
INSTABILITY