INFLUENCE OF THERMAL RADIATION ON THE IGNITION TIME AND CRITICAL TEMPERATURE OF A SINGLE SODIUM DROPLET TEMPERATURE

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of thermal radiation on the ignition time and critical temperature of a single sodium droplet. The governing equation with realistic assumptions is stated and non-dimensionalized to obtain a first order differential equation. The existence and the uniqueness of solution with the dependence on the initial condition of the problem were established. A new asymptotic series solution is obtained in the presence of radiative heat loss parameters for ignition time by exposing the sensitivity of the process to large chemical activation energy. Different quantitative effects of varying the dimensionless convective heat loss parameter with ignition time and critical temperature are presented in the graphs. The results showed that existence of thermal radiation significantly delays the ignition time and reduces the critical temperature of a single sodium droplet.