Thermal Conductivity Impact on Thermal Stability of Reactive Materials

Abstract

The impact of thermal conductivity on the thermal stability of a combustible material is studied in a stockpile modelled in a long cylindrical pipe. Two combustible material systems, one with constant thermal conductivity, the other one with variable thermal conductivity, are compared to analyse thermal stability in each case. A combustible material is the one that contains carbons or hydrocarbons that readily react with the oxygen of the system. Low-temperature oxidation or exothermic chemical reaction is the primary cause of spontaneous ignition. This is a theoretical study that involves mathematical approach to do the investigation. The nonlinear partial differential equations for heat transfer are solved numerically using the Finite Difference Method (FDM). Effects of embedded kinetic parameters on the temperature of the system are depicted graphically and discussed accordingly.