The flow induced in a layer of liquid fuel at sub-flash temperature by the thermocapillary forces associated with the spreading of a flame that heats and vaporizes the liquid is analysed numerically and asymptotically, for large values of the Marangoni number and of the Reynolds number based on the propagation speed. Upstream heat convection in a recirculating region moving with the flame front is described for a steady model problem and for uniform and pulsating flame spread. A possible mechanism triggering flow oscillations entirely dependent on the liquid phase is identified and discussed.
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Higuera et al. (1998) studied this question.