The effects of a leading water droplet on the flame configurations and burning rates of a trailing biodiesel droplet burning in air flows are investigated experimentally. The studied parameters consist of Reynolds number (Re) and droplet spacing (d). The obtained results illustrate that the flame configurations of an isolated biodiesel droplet without a leading water droplet are an envelope flame at Re≦151 and a wake flame Re>151. At a lower Reynolds number, Re=86, the flame configuration of a burning biodiesel droplet with a leading water droplet always exhibits as an envelope flame in various droplet spacing. The burning rates are found to be depressed as the droplet spacing is decreased. For a higher Reynolds number, Re=173, the flame configuration behaves as a wake flame at large droplet spacing and an envelope flame at small droplet spacing. The burning rates are found to enhance as the droplet spacing is decreased. On the other hand, the combustion characteristics of a trailing biodiesel droplet behave like a single droplet when the droplet spacing is large enough.
The effects of a leading water droplet on the flame configurations and burning rates of a trailing biodiesel droplet burning in air flows are investigated experimentally. The studied parameters consist of Reynolds number (Re) and droplet spacing (d). The obtained results illustrate that the flame configurations of an isolated biodiesel droplet without a leading water droplet are an envelope flame at Re≦151 and a wake flame Re>151. At a lower Reynolds number, Re=86, the flame configuration of a burning biodiesel droplet with a leading water droplet always exhibits as an envelope flame in various droplet spacing. The burning rates are found to be depressed as the droplet spacing is decreased. For a higher Reynolds number, Re=173, the flame configuration behaves as a wake flame at large droplet spacing and an envelope flame at small droplet spacing. The burning rates are found to enhance as the droplet spacing is decreased. On the other hand, the combustion characteristics of a trailing biodiesel droplet behave like a single droplet when the droplet spacing is large enough.