Spontaneous Ignition Characteristics of Hydrocarbon Fuel-air Mixtures

Although the subject of spontaneous ignition of liquid fuels has received considerable attention in the past, the role of fuel evaporation in the overall spontaneous ignition process is still unclear. A main purpose of this research is to carry out measurements of ignition delay times, using fuels of current and anticipated future aeronautical interest, at test conditions that are representative of those encountered in modern gas turbine engines. Attention is focused on the fuel injection process, in particlar the measurement and control of man fuel drop size and fuel-air spatial distribution. The experiments are designed to provide accurate information on the role of fuel evaporation processes in determining the overall ignition delay time. The second objective is to examine in detail the theoretical aspects of spontaneous ignition in order to improve upon current knowledge and understanding of the basic processes involved, so that the results of the investigation can find general and widespead application.