Author(s)

C. Di Blasi, N. Galotta & G. Russo

Abstract

Analysis of mechanisms controlling opposed flow flame spread at microgravity conditions C. Di Blasi, N. Galotta, G. Russo Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Universitd degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale V. ABSTRACT A two-dimensional mathematical model, including gas phase momen- tum, energy and chemical species mass equations, coupled to solid phase energy and mass balance equations, is used to simulate flame spread over solid fuels at microgravity conditions. Finite rate kinetics are used for the description of the gas phase combustion and the solid fuel degrada- tion. Both cases of thermally thick and thermally thin cellulosic fuels have been considered and, for the latter case, predicted and measured spread rates, as functions of the opposed flow velocity, have been compared. Ex- tensive numerical simulations have been performed in order to clarify the mechanims controlling microgravity flame spread. Although, for the case of thermally thin fuels, only

Keywords