Numerical Studies of Combustion of Single n-Heptane Droplet

Numerical simulations of single fuel droplet combustion have been carried out using transient finite difference method with finite rate chemistry and variable transport properties under the assumptions of spherical symmetry. The present predicted burning rate matches well with experimental data in the initial burning phase. The slope of the et law curve remains almost constant for droplet burning. The transient variations of droplet center temperature, droplet surface temperature and flame temperature are analyzed in details. The present result predicts the experimental data of flame diameter qualitatively, which can be improved further in future. The analysis of detailed structure of the droplet combustion flame simulation indicates that the thin flame approximation assumed by earlier analytical works is valid.