An oscillatory route to extinction for solid fuel combustion waves due to heat losses

Abstract

A numerical method is used to show that heat loss increases can lead to a period–doubling route to the cessation of propagation of solid fuel combustion. Oscillatory combustion waves are found in certain regions of the parameter space. The behaviour of these oscillatory waves becomes more complex as the heat loss is increased until extinction of the combustion reaction occurs. Large excursions in temperature, above the adiabatic temperature, are possible in the non–adiabatic case close to this extinction point.