Reactant Consumption and Thermal Decomposition Analysis in a Two-Step Combustible Slab

Abstract

The significance of this paper is to analyse thermal decomposition and reactant consumption in a stockpile of reactive materials, such as that of coal, hay or wood, for example. The study is modelled in a rectangular slab and a two-step combustion process like the one taking place in fuel combustion of an automobile is assumed. The coupling of Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg (RKF) method and Shooting technique is applied to solve the differential equations governing the problem. The combustion process that is so complicated is investigated by consideration of effects of some embedded kinetic parameters, such as the activation energy, on the temperature and the reactant (O2) consumption. It was discovered that parameters such as the activation energy, tend to lower the temperature of the system and correspondingly reduce the O2 consumption rate, whereas parameters like the rate of reaction, increase the temperature during the combustion process, to reduce the O2 concentration of the system. The results also indicate that parameters like the rate of reaction, which increase the temperature profiles, fast-track the exothermic chemical reaction to deplete the reactant faster. However, those that reduce the temperature of the system preserve the reactant concentration.