Research in Combustion Theory
In spite of the fact that fire and man have been closely associated for so long that there is hardly a mythology or religion in which fire does not play a central role, there are still many mysteries to combustion. Perhaps that is precisely why it captures the imagination. Those who know their Greek mythology, will remember that Prometheus paid a terrible price for making a gift of fire to his most beloved creation, mankind. He was chained to a rock and daily had his liver torn out by eagles, only for it to regenerate each night because of his immortality to repeat the tortured cycle. Such a gift must be highly valued!
Of course, combustion is even more significant now than it was for our early ancestors, and that is one reason why a great deal of effort is being expended into deepening our understanding of it. Remarkably, mathematically-based research into it is a relatively young field of activity, but one that is developing in an exciting way. Research in this area is also of major practical importance; overlapping several disciplines (mathematics, physics, engineering and chemistry), the study of combustion is of interest to a large body of people in industry, academia and other research.
Mathematical modelling and theoretical techniques are now playing an important part in illuminating flames' subtlest features. The equations that describe combustion are known, and powerful techniques are being developed to elucidate the solution in a wide range of interesting and practical cases. Such solutions are leading to valuable understanding with a lot of practical significance.
The following list indicates the current research areas of the combustion group. They can be studied in many different ways, using skills that vary from mathematical and physical modelling, developing new numerical techniques or applying old ones to new problems, through the dynamics of nonlinear systems and boundary layer theory, to rigorous functional analysis:
Structure of flames and how they propagate.
Why flames can go out, ignition and extinction.
Flame balls.
The spreading of fire (triple-flames or flame edges).
Stability, or instability, of flames.
Fluid-dynamics of flames (Effect of flow scale and amplitude on flames).
Flame propagation and initiation in non-uniform mixtures
Evolution equations for flames and detonations ("simple" equations that capture the most essential physics and often lead to the deepest understanding).
Turbulent flames.
Bushfire.
Member of staff involved
|
NAME |
Title |
EMAIL @manchester.ac.uk |
PHONE |
LOCATION |
||
|
Joel |
Dr. |
0161 30 63218 |
Alan Turing |
2.129 |
||
|
John |
Professor Emeritus |
|
Alan Turing |
|
||