Combustion waves with wide reaction zones Original Research Article

Combustion waves are traditionally studied using high activation energy asymptotics. The structure of the combustion wave involves a thin reaction zone which separates the initial reactants from the combustion product. All previous mathematical studies were focused on such combustion waves. However, even if the activation energy of the reaction is high, combustion waves exhibiting very different structures may exist. We develop a new asymptotic theory to describe experimentally observed combustion waves with wide reaction zones. They occur when the reaction rate is significantly reduced in the course of the reaction as the product is formed.