Diffusion-flame structure for a two-step chain reaction

Abstract

The low-speed combustion of initially unmixed gaseous reactants under an irreversible two-step chain reaction is examined. Both equilibrium burning, in which two spatially separated flames of zero thickness arise, and near-equilibrium burning, in which two spatially separated flames of small but finite thickness arise, are studied by limit-process expansion techniques. Two time-dependent flows are examined: the first is (one-dimensional) transient mixing flow; and the second is (two-dimensional) transient counterflow. The latter flow, in which there is an impressed finite strain parallel to the flame, such that the flame itself is longitudinally stretched, is discussed as elucidating the characteristics of combustion in non-equilibrium turbulent shear flow.