The effect of solid conversion on travelling combustion waves in porous media (Q1392584)

We examine a system of nonlinear partial differential equations, which describe the combustion of a gas passing through a porous medium. In particular, the effect of solid conversion on the downstream temperature is determined for travelling-wave solutions to the system. In cases for which the solid matrix is a perfect catalyst, solely enhancing the exothermic chemical reaction, with zero mass exchange, it is proved that the downstream temperature must always exceed the upstream temperature. However, when the solid is allowed to react with the gas, travelling-wave solutions for which the up- and downstream temperatures are equal may be realised. A key result of this work is then the investigation of physical processes and related parameter ranges that give rise to travelling wave solutions with equal up- and downstream temperatures.