Flame Spreading Above Liquid Fuels: Surface-Tension-Driven Flows

Abstract

Convective heat transfer through the liquid fuel below a spreading flame is considered as a rate controlling mechanism. Thus, a surface-tension-driven liquid flow, induced by the temperature profile ahead of a spreading flame, is analyzed. Velocities, pressures and surface heights are determined for a two-dimensional flame spreading at a steady rate. It is demonstrated that convection can occur near the suface ahead of the flame and in the direction of propagation and, thus, that liquid-phase convective heat transfer can be a plausible rate-controlling mechanism for flame propagation.