EFFECT OF THERMAL-RADIATION ON TRANSIENT COMBUSTION OF A FUEL DROPLET

The effect of radiation heat transfer on transient combustion of a fuel droplet with a finite rate of chemical reaction and variable properties has been studied under the assumption of spherical symmetry. Evaporation curves, transient variation of flame location, temperature profiles, and the ratio of the flame to droplet radius were compared to previously published results without the radiation effect. It was found that the radiation reduces by at least 25% the maximum flame temperature. Furthermore, the present results were compared to the experimental data of several researchers. As a consequence, it was shown that the reason for the previous discrepancy between the theory and experiment was attributed to the radiation.