Effects of Kinetics and Mixing in Turbulent Combustion

Abstract

The species balance equation is written for the perturbation of the species from equilibrium. This yields a form which is particularly useful in elucidating the relative roles of mixing and kinetics in turbulent diffusion flames and it appears to be a very well-conditioned equation for obtaining the amount of non-equilibrium. A novel linearization of the kinetic rate results in ready estimates for the amount of non-equilibrium and a criterion for the onset of a diffuse reaction zone. The general approach appears to have some value for other types of turbulent combustion and results in a very direct derivation of the Bray-Moss formula for the reaction rate in premixed turbulent flames.