Numerical Investigation of a Combustible Polymer in a Rectangular Stockpile: A Spectral Approach

Abstract

Despite the wide application of combustion in reactive materials, one of the challenges faced globally is the auto-ignition of such materials, resulting in fire and explosion hazards. To avoid this unfortunate occurrence, a mathematical model describing the thermal decomposition of combustible polymer material in a rectangular stockpile is formulated. A nonlinear momentum equation is provided with the assumption that the combustible polymer follows a Carreau constitutive relation. The chemical reaction of the polymer material is assumed to be exothermic; therefore, Arrhenius’s kinetic theory is considered in the energy balance equation. The bivariate spectral local linearization scheme (BSLLS) is utilized to provide a numerical solution for the dimensionless equations governing the problem. The obtained results are validated by the collocation weighted residual method (CWRM), and a good agreement is achieved. Dimensionless velocity, temperature, and thermal stability results are presented and explained comprehensively with suitable applications. Some of the obtained results show that thermal criticality increases with increasing power law index (n) and radiation (Ra) values and decreases with increasing variable viscosity (β1) and material parameter (We) values.