Fast combustion at microscales - Combustion rapide aux micro-échelles

目的：拟议的研究计划旨在研究非定常可压缩流现象的产生和传播，化学热释放，在毫米和亚毫米尺度。基于这些发现，一些生物医学和航空航天应用将在高功率密度微系统领域进行。 科学方法：我们的方法是基于实验观察的可压缩流动现象在小规模使用特制的设备和开发简单的分析模型来解释实验观察。然后，我们使用这些新知识来开发利用这些现象的新设备。 我们在微米级通道中的冲击波实验研究方面拥有独特的专业知识，我们将利用这种能力研究这些尺度下预混合气体混合物中的燃烧波。特别是，我们将调查，如果通常的燃烧比例律和传播制度可以扩展到亚毫米尺度使用适当的初始条件（特别是高压）和点火技术。如果成功的话，这些燃烧波将用于原始的小型化推进和驱动系统。 新奇和重要性： 对于各种MEMS装置（发动机、燃料电池等）的连续微燃烧存在极大的兴趣。但只有少数研究在小尺度上研究了非定常燃烧波的传播，而从未在我们独特的实验设备的微米尺度上研究过。因此，这将产生有价值的新知识，可以在新的高功率密度微系统的设计中加以利用。

Objectives: The proposed research program aims at studying the generation and propagation of unsteady compressible flow phenomena, with chemical heat release, at millimeter and sub-millimeter scales. Based on these findings, a number of biomedical and aerospace applications will be pursued in the area of high-power density microsystems. Scientific approach: Our approach is based on the experimental observation of compressible flow phenomena at small scale using specially-built devices and on developing simple analytical models to explain the experimental observations. We then use this new knowledge to develop novel devices exploiting these phenomena. We have developed a unique expertise in the experimental investigation of shock waves in micron-scale channels and we will leverage this capability in the study of combustion waves in pre-mixed gaseous mixtures at those scales. In particular, we will investigate if the usual combustion scaling laws and propagation regimes can be extended down to the sub-millimeter scale using appropriate initial conditions (especially elevated pressure) and ignition techniques. If successful, these combustion waves will be used in original miniaturized propulsion and actuation systems. Novelty and significance: There is great interest in continuous micro-combustion for various MEMS devices (engines, fuel cells, etc.) but only few studies have investigated the propagation of unsteady combustion waves at small scales, and never at the micrometer scale of our unique experimental facilities. So this should produce valuable new knowledge that can potentially be exploited in the design of novel high-power density microsystems.