Effect of combustion pressure on regression rate of solid fuel under an impinging oxidizer jet counterflow diffusion flame

Abstract

Flame spread and counterflow diffusion flame experiments are widely conducted to investigate the combustibility of solid fuels. Although the use of the gas phase Damköhler number to organize the flame spread rate or regression rate of a solid fuel is effective under constant pressure, some research point out the possibility that the combustion pressure may be an independent factor in determining the regression rate. This research employs a counterflow diffusion flame to investigate the effects of combustion pressure on regression rate, and clarifies the deviation of results using the classical Damköhler number under varying pressures. First, a numerical flow analysis was conducted to determine the oxidizer velocity gradient near the fuel surface, which is an essential factor in evaluating the non-dimensional regression rate. Next, using an enclosed combustion chamber with independently variable oxidizer flux and pressure, experiments with a quasi two-dimensional flame were conducted with polyethylene solid fuel and nitrogen diluted oxygen oxidizer, and the regression rate was measured for two experiment series, constant pressure, and constant oxidizer flux. By comparing the two series, the effect of pressure on non-dimensionalized regression rate is clarified. The results suggest that contrary to the theoretical reaction rate of the gas phase, the non-dimensional regression rate increases when the combustion pressure is decreased, even in the thermal regime. This suggests that the classic method of organizing the regression rate with Damköhler number in thermal regime could not be implemented with varying pressure conditions, possibly due to the change in diffusion rates involved with varying pressures.