- Author
- DeRis, J. N.
- Title
- Spread of a Diffusion Flame Over a Combustible Surface.
- Coporate
- Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA
- Report
- Thesis, May 1968, 187 p.
- Keywords
- diffusion flames | flame spread | combustibles | equations | mass transfer | flash point
- Identifiers
- boundary conditions; thin wall problem; effect of fuel conductivity; radiation; higher order substitute kernel; diffusion flame near a cold wall; simple model of a flame spreading over a thin sheet of fuel; integrals
- Abstract
- This thesis formulates and solves the problem of a diffusion flame spreading over both a thin fuel sheet and a semi-infinite fuel bed. The oxidant necessary for combustion is supplied by air flowing in a direction opposing the flame propagation. Infinite gas-phase reaction rates are presumed. That is, the times required for fuel vaporization and mass transfer are considered to be much larger than the time required for combustion. This means that the fuel's flash point (i.e., lean limit "vaporization temperature") must be considerably higher than the ambient temperature. The assumption of fast reaction rates imples that only the overall chemical reaction need be considered. Also, the effects of flame quenching by the cold fuel wass are ignored.