Asymptotic analysis of premixed burning with large activation energy

Abstract

The structure and propagation rates of premixed flames are determined by singular perturbation in the limit where the activation temperature is large relative to other flow temperatures for several basic flows. Specifically, the simple kinetics of an exothermic first-order monomolecular decomposition under Arrhenius kinetics is studied for one-dimensional laminar flame propagation, spherically symmetric quasi-steady monopropellant droplet burning, and other simple geometries. Results elucidate Lewis-number effects, losses owing to fuel gasification processes, and conditions under which the thin-flame approximation is a limit of finite-rate Arrhenius kinetics.