STEADY AND OSCILLATORY FLAME SPREAD OVER LIQUID FUELS

The flow induced in a layer of liquid fuel at sub-flash temperature by the thermocapillary forces associated with the spreading of a dame th at heats and vaporizes the liquid is analysed numerically and asymptot ically, for large values of the Marangoni number and of the Reynolds n umber based on the propagation speed. Upstream heat convection in a re circulating region moving with the flame front is described for a stea dy model problem and for uniform and pulsating flame spread. A possibl e mechanism triggering Bow oscillations entirely dependent on the liqu id phase is identified and discussed.