Introduction To Combustion Phenomena

Provides a step by step development and the use of simple mathematical models to illustrate the most basic combustion phenomena.

Extensively using experimental and numerical illustrations, Combustion Phenomena: Selected Mechanisms of Flame Formation, Propagation, and Extinction provides a comprehensive survey of the fundamental processes of flame formation, propagation, and extinction. Taking you through the stages of combustion, leading experts visually display, mathematically explain, and clearly theorize on important physical topics of combustion. After a historical introduction to the field, they discuss combustion chemistry, flammability limits, and spark ignition. They also study counterflow twin-flame configuration, flame in a vortex core, the propagation characteristics of edge flames, instabilities, and tulip flames. In addition, the book describes flame extinction in narrow channels, global quenching of premixed flames by turbulence, counterflow premixed flame extinction limits, the interaction of flames with fluids in rotating vessels, and turbulent flames. The final chapter explores diffusion flames as well as combustion in spark- and compression-ignition engines. It also examines the transition from deflagration to detonation, along with the detonation wave structure. With a CD-ROM of images that beautifully illustrate a range of combustion phenomena, this book facilitates a practical understanding of the processes occurring in the conception, spread, and extinguishment of a flame. It will help you on your way to finding solutions to real issues encountered in transportation, power generation, industrial processes, chemical engineering, and fire and explosion hazards.

Most of the material covered in this book deals with the fundamentals of chemistry and physics of key processes and fundamental mechanisms for various combustion and combustion related phenomena in gaseous combustible mixture. It provides the reader with basic knowledge of burning processes and mechanisms of reaction wave propagation. The combustion of a gas mixture (flame, explosion, detonation) is necessarily accompanied by motion of the gas. The process of combustion is therefore not only a chemical phenomenon but also one of gas dynamics. The material selection focuses on the gas phase and with premixed gas combustion. Premixed gas combustion is of practical importance in engines, modern gas turbine and explosions, where the fuel and air are essentially premixed, and combustion occurs by the propagation of a front separating unburned mixture from fully burned mixture. Since premixed combustion is the most fundamental and potential for practical applications, the emphasis in the present work is be placed on regimes of premixed combustion. This text is intended for graduate students of different specialties, including physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, computer science, mathematics and astrophysics.

An introduction for postgraduate and undergraduate students to the chemical and physical principles of flame and combustion phenomena. This book should be of interest to undergraduate/postgraduate chemists; chemical engineers; undergraduate/postgraduate mechanical engineers and environmental scientists; and industrial combustion technologists.