Dynamics of spray flames in oscillating flow with droplet grouping

The co-flow laminar spray diffusion flame in an oscillating flow field is investigated. Mild slip is permitted between the droplets and their host surroundings and droplet grouping resulting from the host flow oscillations is accounted for. The spray is modeled using the sectional approach and a perturbation analysis using a small sectional Stokes number is utilized for solving the liquid phase governing equations. The effect of droplet grouping is described through a specially constructed model for the vaporization Damkohler number. The large chemical Damkohler number assumption is adopted and a formal analytical solution is developed for Schwab-Zeldovitch parameters through which the dynamics of the spray flame front shapes and thermal fields are deduced. Computed results based on the solutions demonstrate how the phenomenon of droplet grouping can lead to the existence of multiple flame sheets as a result of the dynamic change in the type of the main homogeneous flame from under- to over-ventilated as the flow field oscillates. Concomitant fluctuating thermal fields are also shown to be present indicating a potential impact on undesirable pollutants production.