The effects of oscillating boundary conditions on thermal ignition

Abstract

We investigate the effect that oscillating ambient temperatures have on the ignition times of supercritical stockpiles. Large stockpiles are exposed to seasonal and diurnal temperature variation. We analyse the effects of seasonal temperature variation. When considering ignition within a year of construction, stockpiles built in spring ignited with a lower critical parameter than those built at other times. Consequently, seasonal temperature variation needs to be accounted for when predicting stockpile ignition times.