GRAVITATIONAL EFFECTS ON LIQUID FLAME THERMITE SYSTEMS

We study the structure and propagation of combustion waves in thermite systems in which the heterogeneous mixture of solid reactants initial ly forms a solid matrix. This solid matrix is destroyed by the combust ion wave as one of the reactants melts, producing a bath of one reacta nt in which particles or droplets of the other reactant are suspended. Gravity can lead to relative motion and hence separation of the react ants. We formulate a simplified mathematical model of this process in order to gain insight into how relative motion and separation affect t he characteristics of the combustion wave. We analytically determine t he structure of one dimensional uniformly propagating combustion waves and show that depending on the characteristics of the system, such so lutions may fail to exist or may be nonunique. We also investigate the dependence of the combustion velocity on gravity.