Critical conditions for spherical flame initiation in mixtures with high Lewis numbers

A theoretical and numerical study was conducted to clarify the physical mechanism controlling the flame initiation in mixtures with high Lewis numbers. The analysis was based on the effects of curvature and heat addition on flame structure. It was found that the conditions for the existence of a self-sustained expanding spherical flame determine the critical power and energy of the ignition source for successful initiation. A new criterion was established to predict both the critical power and energy.(Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version; see www.iop.org)