INTERACTIVE DROPLET VAPORIZATION AND COMBUSTION - APPROACH FROM ASYMPTOTICS

In recognition of its crucial role in spray combustion, the characteri stic property of interactive droplet vaporization and combustion is re viewed in the light of a generalized asymptotic theory which is presen tly developed in order to gain deeper insight into the underlying phys ics of spray combustion at near-atmospheric pressures. Emphasis is pla ced on geometrical significance in excitation of group vaporization/co mbustion modes. It is shown that a criterion for the onset of group co mbustion is expressible in the form of a local relationship between th e ratio of droplet separation distance to droplet radius, (l) over bar = ((a) over bar(0)(3) (n) over bar)(-1/3), the unsteadiness parameter for single droplet combustion, epsilon = [2(<(rho)over bar>(infinity) /<(rho)over bar>)1n(1 + B)](1/2). An attempt is also made to clarify the validity of the existing continuum theory from microscopic droplet interaction considerations.