TIME TO EXTINCTION OF LIQUID-HYDROCARBON FUEL DROPLETS BURNING IN A TRANSIENT DIESEL-LIKE ENVIRONMENT

A numerical analysis is presented which characterizes the response of fuel droplet burning rates to the transient effects of temperature, pressure, and oxidizer mass fraction that occur during the various stages of the power stroke of a diesel engine. The first stage of the analysis involves calculation of the diesel-like environment. This environment is then used as input for the second stage which computes the time varying track of burning droplets upon a catastrophe-like surface. The time to reach the upper folding edge of this surface, which defines the boundary of combustion instability, is calculated for droplets in the initial radial range of 10-40 microns. © 1978.