Analytical study of the combustion waves propagation under filtration of methane-air mixture in a packed bed

The study of combustion waves during the filtration of lean methane-air mixtures in inert porous media is carried out using the one-temperature approximation in a semi-infinite canal. The analytical solution is built in three different regions, the pre-heating region, the reaction region and the region occupied by the combustion products. By means of the solution, the temperature and mass fraction profiles of the methane are built for three regions, as well as the longitudinal extension of the reaction region, the ignition temperature of the mixture and the combustion wave propagation velocity in the system. The results obtained are validated by means of comparisons with the known numerical and analytical solutions and experimental results found in literature. Finally, an analysis of the built analytical solution in terms of five dimensionless parameters is made, which define heat and mass transport in mathematical model. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.