Travelling Waves Approach in a Parabolic Coupled System for Modelling the Behaviour of Substances in a Fuel Tank

The aim of this work was to provide a formulation of a non-linear diffusion model with forced convection in the form of a reaction-absorption system. The model was studied with analytical and numerical approaches in the frame of the parabolic operators theory. In addition, the solutions are applied to a gas interaction phenomenon with the intention of producing an inerted ullage in an Airbus A320 aircraft centre fuel tank. We made use of the travelling wave (TW) solutions approach to study the existence of solutions, stability and the precise evolution of profiles. The application exercise sought to answer a key question for aerospace sciences which can be formulated as the time required to ensure an aircraft fuel tank is safe (inerted) to prevent explosion due to the presence of oxygen in the tank ullage.

Automated summary

This study aimed to provide a formulation of a non-linear diffusion model with forced convection in the form of a reaction-absorption system. The model was studied using analytical and numerical approaches within the framework of the parabolic operators theory. The solutions were applied to study a gas interaction phenomenon in order to ensure the safety of an aircraft fuel tank by creating an inerted ullage. The study used the travelling wave solutions approach to investigate the existence and stability of solutions.