A kinetic algorithm for modelling the droplet evaporation process in the presence of a heat flux and background gas
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Brighton
Department Name: Sch of Engineering
Abstract
Although the droplet evaporation process is essentially a kinetic one (its description requires the analysis of the distribution function of molecules), in practical engineering applications its analysis is almost universally based on the hydrodynamic approximation. Recent papers published by the PI, together with researchers from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute, point out that the latter approximation may lead to noticeable underestimates of the evaporation time of droplets in diesel engines, where the applicability of this approximation has never, to the best of our knowledge, been questioned. This conclusion, however, was made based on the simplistic kinetic model, or the numerical algorithm based on some assumptions, the applicability of which is not at first evident. For example, it was assumed that the contribution of heat flux inside the Knudsen layer can be ignored. The main focus of this work will be on the development of a new model, taking into account both the heat flux in the Knudsen layer and the presence of ambient background gas. It is expected that the temperature at the outer boundary of the Knudsen layer will be found using the condition of matching heat fluxes at the outer boundary of the Knudsen layer. This new model will be applied to the simulation of the evaporation of diesel fuel droplets in the first instance and its wider applicability is anticipated.
Organisations
Publications
Sazhin S
(2009)
KINETIC ALGORITHM FOR MODELING THE DROPLET EVAPORATION PROCESS IN THE PRESENCE OF HEAT FLUX AND BACKGROUND GAS
in Atomization and Sprays
Sazhin S
(2007)
Evaporation of droplets into a background gas: Kinetic modelling
in International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer
Sazhin S
(2009)
KINETIC ALGORITHM FOR MODELING THE DROPLET EVAPORATION PROCESS IN THE PRESENCE OF HEAT FLUX AND BACKGROUND GAS
in Atomization and Sprays
Sazhin S
(2008)
Droplet Heating and Evaporation: Hydrodynamic and Kinetic Models
in Heat Transfer Research
Sazhin, S.S.
(2008)
Modelling of droplet heating and evaporation in computational fluid dynamics codes
in n/a
Sazhin, S.S.
(2008)
Hydrodynamic and kinetic models of droplet heating and evaporation
in Proceedings of CHT-08 ICHMT International Symposium on Advances in Computational Heat Transfer. May 11-16, 2008, Marrakesh, Morocco, CD
Sazhin, S.S.
(2008)
Evaporation of droplets into a background gas: hydrodynamic and kinetic modelling
in Proceedings of the 19th National & 8th ISHMT-ASME Heat and Mass Transfer Conference, January 3-5, JNTU Hyderabad, India. Published by Indian Society of Heat and Mass transfer.
Sazhin, S.S.
(2008)
Evaporation of droplets into a background gas in the presence of heat flux: kinetic and hydrodynamic modelling
in Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on Transport Phenomena, 17-20 August, 2008, Reykjavik, Iceland
Description | The main focus of this work was on the development of a new model, taking into account both the heat flux in the Knudsen layer and the presence of ambient background gas. The temperature at the outer boundary of the Knudsen layer was found using the condition of matching heat fluxes at the outer boundary of the Knudsen layer. This new model was applied to the simulation of the evaporation of Diesel fuel droplets and the importance of the new effects was demonstrated. Since the completion of this project, this model has been used in our analysis of the kinetic effects on Diesel droplet heating and evaporation. |
Exploitation Route | The results of this project led to our successful application for the next much bigger EPSRC grant in this field: 'Development of a new quantitative kinetic model for the analysis of heating and evaporation processes in complex hydrocarbon fuel droplets', which was joined by other members of the team. The findings of the project allowed the research community to extend the theoretical tools used for the analysis of droplet heating and evaporation. The interest in our results could be quantified by citations of our papers by other researchers. For example, our paper 'Evaporation of droplets into a background gas: Kinetic modelling' the work on which was supported by EPSRC was cited 25 times according ISI Web of Science. |
Sectors | Education,Energy,Transport |
Description | The project was focused on the development of new advanced kinetic technique for the analysis of Diesel fuel droplet heating and evaporation. The results of this project are not expected to have direct impact beyond academic community. However, indirect impact of this project can be anticipated. This impact could be based on the development of more accurate models for droplet heating and evaporation, leading to more accurate models of combustion processes in internal combustion engines. It is very difficult to quantify this impact. |
First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
Sector | Energy,Transport |
Impact Types | Economic |