Influences of support fibers on vaporizing fuel droplets

Detailed computational modeling is performed to study influences of support fibers on vaporizing fuel droplets. Droplets are supported on thin fibers and vaporize in high-temperature and high-pressure environments with cross flows that are perpendicular to the fiber. Droplet Reynolds numbers, based on initial droplet diameters are 0.1, 4, and 30. The temperature distribution inside a support fiber is almost one-dimensional with significant gradients being formed only along the fiber axis, leading to heat transfer along the fiber into a droplet. Strong capillary flows can be generated on the surface of a droplet because of heating from the support fiber. The capillary flows can influence droplet size histories by causing faster mixing within droplets, leading to reduced vaporization rates at early times.

► Fiber conduction heat transfer is nearly one-dimensional along the fiber axis. ► Fiber heat transfer into a droplet can be significant. ► Strong thermocapillary flows can be generated on the surface of a droplet. ► Thermocapillary flows can influence droplet size histories.