The Novel Model for Measuring the Flame Thickness and Speed in the Micro-Combustor

The performance of a new generation of miniaturized thrusters for micro-satellites, and miniaturized power systems being developed to replace batteries, depends very strongly on the efficiency and the power density of their sub-millimeter to millimeter-scale combustors. Combustion in micro-scale combustors is an emerging, fast-growing research field. One of the important parameters in the combustion phenomena of micro- combustor is the heat transfer from the wall to its surrounding. This effect has been studied by some researchers. Recently, Daou and Matalon [1,2] investigated the effects of velocity, heat loss to the structure and passage width on premixed flames propagating in channels with constant-temperature walls. They showed that burning rate decreased as the heat transfer coefficient between the wall and the environment increased. In this study the thermal theory proposed by Mallard and Le Chatelier [14] has served as a starting point for understanding the propagation of laminar flames. The aim of this work is to present a comprehensive theory suitable for accounting the flame thickness and speed