The Ignition Delay and Combustion of a Drop Under Pressure on a Hot Surface

The ignition delay, combustion time, and smoke from a single drop of fuel on a hot surface were studied at various pressures up to 69 atm. The experimental results were correlated with previous data for drop evaporation on a hot surface, thereby yielding evidence that physical factors, in particular the rate of evaporation and consequent mixture formation, strongly influence the ignition delay and combustion of a drop. It is also shown that the magnitude of the critical temperature and pressure of a liquid fuel plays a significant role in all aspects of its combustion.

A mechanism of ignition is proposed which contributes to better understanding of ignition delay phenomena.