Spatiotemporal patterns in a two-dimensional reaction-diffusion-convection system: Effect of transport parameters

We report on spatiotemporal patterns emerging in a system consisting of an autocatalytic reaction in a continuous flow tubular reactor. The autocatalyst undergoes a mutation and the resulting mutant is assumed to compete with the original autocatalyst. The system is modeled by a set of three partial differential equations with eight design parameters. We examine and discuss the effect of transport parameters, reactor inlet boundary condition, and reactor aspect ratio on the dynamics of the system. The results show a variety of regimes going from steady propagation of a reaction front to the development of chemical waves in the form of pulsating, more or less regularly, reaction front.