Cell-like structure of unstable oblique detonation wave from high-resolution numerical simulation

A comprehensive numerical study was carried out to investigate the unsteady cell-like structures of oblique detonation waves (ODWs) for a fixed Mach 7 inlet flow over a wedge of 30° turning angle. The effects of grid resolution and activation energy were examined systematically at a dimensionless heat addition of 10. The ODW front remains stable for a low activation energy regardless of grid resolution, but becomes unstable for a high activation energy featuring a cell-like wave front structure. Similar to the situation with an ordinary normal detonation wave (NDW), a continuous increase in the activation energy eventually causes the wave-front oscillation to transit from a regular to an irregular pattern. The wave structure of an unstable ODW, however, differs considerably from that of a NDW. Under the present flow condition, triple points and transverse waves propagate downstream, and the numerical smoke-foil record exhibits traces of triple points that rarely intersect with each other. Several instability-driving mechanisms were conjectured from the highly refined results. Since the reaction front behind a shock wave can be easily destabilized by disturbance inherent in the flowfield, the ODW front becomes unstable and displays cell-like structures due to the local pressure oscillations and/or the reflected shock waves originating from the triple points. The combined effects of various instability sources give rise to a highly unstable and complex flow structure behind an unstable ODW front.     

Unstable combustion induced by oblique shock waves at the non-attaching condition of the oblique detonation wave

The instability of oblique shock wave (OSW) induced combustion is examined for a wedge with a flow turning angle greater than the maximum attach angle of the oblique detonation wave (ODW), where archival results rarely exist for this case in previous literatures. Numerical simulations were carried out for wedges of different length scales to account for the ratio of the chemical and fluid dynamic time scales. The results reveal three different regimes of combustion. (1) No ignition or decoupled combustion was observed if a fluid dynamic time is shorter than a chemical time behind an OSW. (2) Oscillatory combustion was observed behind an OSW if a fluid dynamic time is longer than a chemical time behind an OSW and the fluid dynamic time is shorter than the chemical time behind a normal shock wave (NSW) at the same Mach number. (3) Detached bow shock-induced combustion (or detached overdriven detonation wave) was observed if a fluid dynamic time is longer than a chemical time behind a NSW. Since no ignition or decoupled combustion occurs as a very slow reaction and the detached wave occurs as an infinitely fast reaction, the finite rate chemistry is considered to be the key for the oscillating combustion induced by an OSW over a wedge of a finite length with a flow turning angle greater than the maximum attach angle for an ODW. Since this case has not been previously reported, grid independency was tested intensively to account for the interaction between the shock and reaction waves and to determine the critical time scale where the oscillating combustion can be observed.     

Visualization of the non-steady state oblique detonation wave phenomena around hypersonic spherical projectile

We studied experimentally the shock waves and combustion waves generated by a hypersonic spherical projectile in an explosive mixture. An acetylene/oxygen mixture diluted with argon (2C₂H₂ + 5O₂ + 7Ar) was used with various initial pressures (detonation cell sizes) to observe optically with a shadowgraph imaging system a shock-induced combustion (SIC), a stable oblique detonation wave (ODW), and a wave called a Straw Hat type consisting of a strong SIC and ODW. The criticality of stabilizing an ODW around a projectile is expressed by the ratio of the projectile diameter, d, to the cell size, λ, as d/λ = 3.63–4.84. Although the Straw Hat type wave in the vicinity of criticality is an unstable phenomena, it has been mainly observed by a single frame picture to date, so that it is difficult to discuss the time history of its wave structure. In this study, it was remarkable to directly carry out continuous optical observations using a high speed video camera which can continuously film 100 pictures with a 1 μs frame speed so as to allow an investigation of the sustaining mechanism of the unstable wave structure. Our results allowed the identification of an increase in unsteadiness in the relative distance between the projectile fronts and the transition points to an ODW as the time increased. They also showed local explosions in the SIC region near transition point transformed the ODW front upstream.     

An experimental and modeling study of the shock tube ignition of a mixture of n-heptane and n-propylbenzene as a surrogate for a large alkyl benzene

Alkyl aromatics are an important chemical class in gasoline, jet and diesel fuels. In the present work, an n-propylbenzene and n-heptane mixture is studied as a possible surrogate for large alkyl benzenes contained in diesel fuels. To evaluate it as a surrogate, ignition delay times have been measured in a heated high pressure shock tube (HPST) for a mixture of 57% n-propylbenzene/43% n-heptane in air (≈21% O₂, ≈79% N₂) at equivalence ratios of 0.29, 0.49, 0.98 and 1.95 and compressed pressures of 1, 10 and 30 atm over a temperature range of 1000–1600 K. The effects of reflected-shock pressure and equivalence ratio on ignition delay time were determined and common trends highlighted. A combined n-propylbenzene and n-heptane reaction mechanism was assembled and simulations of the shock tube experiments were carried out. The simulation results showed very good agreement with the experimental data for ignition delay times. Sensitivity and reaction pathway analyses have been performed to reveal the important reactions responsible for fuel oxidation under the shock tube conditions studied. It was found that at 1000 K, the main consumption pathways for n-propylbenzene are abstraction reactions on the alkyl chain, with particular selectivity to the allylic site. In comparison at 1500 K, the unimolecular decomposition of the fuel is the main consumption pathway.     

Formation of transverse waves in oblique detonations

The structure of oblique detonation waves stabilized on a hypersonic wedge in mixtures characterized by a large activation energy is investigated via steady method of characteristics (MoC) calculations and unsteady computational flowfield simulations. The steady MoC solutions show that, after the transition from shock-induced combustion to an overdriven oblique detonation, the shock and reaction complex exhibit a spatial oscillation. The degree of overdrive required to suppress this oscillation was found to be nearly equal to the overdrive required to force a one-dimensional piston-driven detonation to be stable, demonstrating the equivalence of two-dimensional steady oblique detonations and one-dimensional unsteady detonations. Full unsteady computational simulations of the flowfield using an adaptive refinement scheme showed that these spatial oscillations are transient in nature, evolving in time into transverse waves on the leading shock front. The formation of left-running transverse waves (facing upstream) precedes the formation of right-running transverse waves (facing downstream). Both sets of waves are convected downstream away from the wedge in the supersonic flow behind the leading oblique front, such that the mechanism of instability must continuously generate new transverse waves from an initially uniform flow. Together, these waves define a cellular structure that is qualitatively similar to a normal propagating detonation.     

Ignition of cyclopropane in shock waves

The values of the ignition delay time of cyclopropane–oxygen–argon (cyclo-C₃H₆–O₂–Ar) mixtures of different compositions (φ = 0.333, 1, and 3) behind reflected shock waves at temperatures of 1200–1640 K and a pressure of (0.55 ± 0.05) MPa are measured. A kinetic mechanism of cyclopropane ignition using the known rate constants for the most important elementary reactions is developed. The mechanism closely describes both our own and published experimental data on the delay time of ignition of cyclopropane in shock waves over wide ranges of temperature (1200–2100 K), pressure (0.1–0.55 MPa), cyclopropane concentrations (0.05–11 vol %), and oxygen concentrations (0.25–21 vol %). It is shown that, with increasing fraction of diluent gas in the mixture, the dependence of the ignition delay time on the fuel-to-oxidizer equivalence ratio changes.     

来流边界层效应下斜坡诱导的斜爆轰波

以超声速预混气中的斜爆轰波为研究对象,对其在来流边界层效应下的特性进行了实验研究.在马赫数为3的超声速预混风洞中,通过斜坡诱导产生了斜爆轰波.当来流的当量比较低时,预混气中产生的是化学反应锋面与激波面非耦合的激波诱导燃烧现象.此时边界层分离区中的化学反应放热将使分离区尺度显著增大,流场非定常性显著增强,激波位置剧烈振荡.当来流的当量比较高时,预混气将产生斜爆轰波.此时边界层分离区会影响到斜爆轰波起爆时的形态.在小尺度分离区下,斜爆轰波起爆时呈突跃结构(有横波);在中等尺度分离区下,流场固有的非定常性使斜爆轰波呈间歇突跃结构;在大尺度分离区下,斜爆轰波起爆则呈完全的平滑结构(无横波).     

Experiments and modeling of ignition delay times, flame structure and intermediate species of EHN-doped stoichiometric n-heptane/air combustion

The combustion of stoichiometric Ethyl-hexyl-nitrate (EHN)-doped n-heptane/oxygen/argon and (EHN)-doped n-heptane/air mixtures, respectively, was investigated in a low-pressure burner with a molecular-beam mass spectrometer and ignition delay-time (τ_ign) measurements were performed in a high-pressure shock tube. The experiments with the low-pressure flame were used for the determination of the flame structure including concentration profiles of reactants, products and important intermediates in the flame. The shock tube experiments provided τ_ign for a temperature range of 690 K ? T ? 1275 K at a pressure of 40 ± 2 bar for stoichiometric and lean mixtures under engine relevant conditions. A chemical mechanism for n-heptane/EHN mixtures was developed from an automatically generated mechanism for n-heptane by manually adding reactions to describe the influence of EHN. This mechanism was validated against the shock-tube data for various temperatures, levels of EHN-doping and equivalence ratios by homogeneous reactor calculations.The ignition delay times predicted by the model agree well with the shock tube results for a large range of temperatures, equivalence ratios and EHN concentrations. The influence of EHN onto ignition delay was largest in the low-temperature regime (770-1000 K).Numerical analysis suggests that the prevalent reason for the ignition-enhancing effect of EHN is the formation of highly reactive heptyl radicals by thermal decomposition of EHN. Due to this comparatively simple and generic mechanism, EHN is expected to have a similar ignition-enhancing effect also for other hydrocarbon fuels.     

Initiation and sustaining mechanisms of stabilized Oblique Detonation Waves around projectiles

Direct initiations and stabilizations of three-dimensional conical detonation waves were attained by launching spheres with 1.06–1.31 times the C–J velocities into detonable mixtures. We conducted high time-resolution Schlieren visualizations of the whole processes over unsteady initiations to stable propagations of the stabilized Oblique Detonation Waves (ODWs) using a high-speed camera. The detonable mixtures were stoichiometric oxygen mixtures with acetylene, ethylene or hydrogen. They were diluted with argon in a 50% volumetric fraction, and a 75% diluted mixture was also tested for the acetylene/oxygen. The direct initiation of detonation by the projectile and the DDT process like the re-initiation appeared in the initiation process of stabilized ODW. This process eventually led to the stabilized ODW supported by the projectile velocity and the ringed shape detonation wave originating in the re-initiation. We modeled the spatial evolution of stabilized ODW after the re-initiation based on its C–J velocity and angle. The model qualitatively reproduced the measured development rate of stabilized ODW. We also discussed about the detonation stability for the curvature effect arising from the three-dimensional nature of stabilized ODW around the projectile. The curvature effect attenuated the detonation wave below its C–J velocity at the vicinity of projectile. The propagation limits of curvature effect will be responsible for the criticality to attain the stabilized ODWs. By accessing the detailed distributions of propagation velocities and curvature radiuses, the critical curvature radiuses normalized by the cell sizes experimentally revealed to be 8–10 or 15–18 for mixtures diluted with each 50% argon or 75% argon/krypton.     

Methyl concentration time-histories during iso-octane and n-heptane oxidation and pyrolysis

Methyl radical concentration time-histories were measured during the oxidation and pyrolysis of iso-octane and n-heptane behind reflected shock waves. Initial reflected shock conditions covered temperatures of 1100-1560 K, pressures of 1.6-2.0 atm and initial fuel concentrations of 100-500 ppm. Methyl radicals were detected using cw UV laser absorption near 216 nm; three wavelengths were used to compensate for time- and wavelength-dependent interference absorption. Methyl time-histories were compared to the predictions of several current oxidation models. While some agreement was found between modeling and measurement in the early rise, peak and plateau values of methyl, and in the ignition time, none of the current mechanisms accurately recover all of these features. Sensitivity analysis of the ignition times for both iso-octane and n-heptane showed a strong dependence on the reaction C₃H₅ + H = C₃H₄ + H₂, and a recommended rate was found for this reaction. Sensitivity analysis of the initial rate of CH₃ production during pyrolysis indicated that for both iso-octane and n-heptane, reaction rates for the initial decomposition channels are well isolated, and overall values for these rates were obtained. The present concentration time-history data provide strong constraints on the reaction mechanisms of both iso-octane and n-heptane oxidation, and in conjunction with OH concentration time-histories and ignition delay times, recently measured in our laboratory, should provide a self-consistent set of kinetic targets for the validation and refinement of iso-octane and n-heptane reaction mechanisms.     

A kinetics and dynamics study on the auto-ignition of dimethyl ether at low temperatures and low pressures

Though the combustion chemistry of dimethyl ether (DME) has been widely investigated over the past decades, there remains a dearth of ignition data that examines the low-temperature, low-pressure chemistry of DME. In this study, DME/‘air’ mixtures at various equivalence ratios from lean (0.5) to extremely rich (5.0) were ignited behind reflected shock waves at a fixed pressure (3.0 atm) over the temperature range 625–1200 K. The ignition behavior is different from that at high-pressures, with a repeatable ignition delay time fall-off feature observed experimentally in the temperature transition zone from the negative temperature coefficient (NTC) regime to the high-temperature regime. This could not be reproduced using available kinetic mechanisms as conventionally homogeneous ignition simulations. The fall-off behavior shows strong equivalence ratio dependence and disappears completely at an equivalence ratio of 5.0. A local ignition kernel postulate was implemented numerically to quantifiably examine the inhomogeneous premature ignition. At low temperature, no pre-ignition occurs in the mixture. A conspicuous discrepancy was observed between the measurements and constrained UV simulations at temperatures beyond the NTC regime. A third O₂ addition reaction sub-set was incorporated into AramcoMech 3.0, together with related species thermochemistry calculated using the G3/G4/CBS-APNO compound method, to explore the low-temperature deviation. The new reaction class does not influence the model predictions in IDTs, but the updated thermochemistry does. Sensitivity analyses indicate that the decomposition of hydroperoxy-methylformate plays a critical role in improving the low-temperature oxidation mechanism of DME but unfortunately, the thermal rate coefficient has never been previously investigated. Further experimental and theoretical endeavors are required to attain holistic quantitative chemical kinetics based on our understanding of the low-temperature chemistry of DME.     

Ignition delay times of methyl oleate and methyl linoleate behind reflected shock waves

Ignition delay times for methyl oleate (C₁₉H₃₆O₂, CAS: 112-62-9) and methyl linoleate (C₁₉H₃₄O₂, CAS: 112-63-0) were measured for the first time behind reflected shock waves, using an aerosol shock tube. The aerosol shock tube enabled study of these very-low-vapor-pressure fuels by introducing a spatially-uniform fuel aerosol/4% oxygen/argon mixture into the shock tube and employing the incident shock wave to produce complete fuel evaporation, diffusion, and mixing. Reflected shock conditions covered temperatures from 1100 to 1400 K, pressures of 3.5 and 7.0 atm, and equivalence ratios from 0.6 to 2.4. Ignition delay times for both fuels were found to be similar over a wide range of conditions. The most notable trend in the observed ignition delay times was that the pressure and equivalence ratio scaling were a strong function of temperature, and exhibited cross-over temperatures at which there was no sensitivity to either parameter. Data were also compared to the biodiesel kinetic mechanism of Westbrook et al. (2011) [10], which underpredicts ignition delay times by about 50%. Differences between experimental and computed ignition delay times were strongly related to existing errors and uncertainties in the thermochemistry of the large methyl ester species, and when these were corrected, the kinetic simulations agreed significantly better with the experimental measurements.     

Autoignition of gasoline surrogate mixtures at intermediate temperatures and high pressures: Experimental and numerical approaches

Ignition-delay times were measured in shock-heated gases for a surrogate gasoline fuel comprised of ethanol/iso-octane/n-heptane/toluene at a composition of 40%/37.8%/10.2%/12% by liquid volume with a calculated octane number of 98.8. The experiments were carried out in stoichiometric mixtures in air behind reflected shock waves in a heated high-pressure shock tube. Initial reflected shock conditions were as follows: Temperatures of 690-1200 K, and pressures of 10, 30 and 50 bar, respectively. Ignition delay times were determined from CH^∗ chemiluminescence at 431.5 nm measured at a sidewall location. The experimental results are compared to simulated ignition delay times based on detailed chemical kinetic mechanisms. The main mechanism is based on the primary reference fuels (PRF) model, and sub-mechanisms were incorporated to account for the effect of ethanol and/or toluene. The simulations are also compared to experimental ignition-delay data from the literature for ethanol/iso-octane/n-heptane (20%/62%/18% by liquid volume) and iso-octane/n-heptane/toluene (69%/17%/14% by liquid volume) surrogate fuels. The relative behavior of the ignition delay times of the different surrogates was well predicted, but the simulations overestimate the ignition delay, mostly at low temperatures.     

Initiation of a detonation wave by resonant laser radiation in a hydrogen-oxygen mixture flowing about a wedge

The formation of an oblique detonation wave in a supersonic hydrogen-oxygen flow about a planar wedge is considered. It is shown that the excitation of the electronic state b ¹Σ _g ⁺ in oxygen molecules by resonant laser radiation with a wavelength of 762 nm makes it possible to initiate detonation combustion at a distance of ≈1 m from the tip of the wedge at low temperatures (500–600 K). Notably, it suffices to irradiate the gas in the narrow (0.5–1.0 cm across) paraxial region of the flow near the tip of the wedge. It is found that the laser-induced excitation of molecular oxygen is several times more efficient than ordinary heating of the mixture to initiate a detonation wave.     

Experimental study and modeling of shock tube ignition delay times for hydrogen-oxygen-argon mixtures at low temperatures

Recent literature has indicated that experimental shock tube ignition delay times for hydrogen combustion at low-temperature conditions may deviate significantly from those predicted by current detailed kinetic models. The source of this difference is uncertain. In the current study, the effects of shock tube facility-dependent gasdynamics and localized pre-ignition energy release are explored by measuring and simulating hydrogen-oxygen ignition delay times. Shock tube hydrogen-oxygen ignition delay time data were taken behind reflected shock waves at temperatures between 908 to 1118 K and pressures between 3.0 and 3.7 atm for two test mixtures: 4% H₂, 2% O₂, balance Ar, and 15% H₂, 18% O₂, balance Ar. The experimental ignition delay times at temperatures below 980 K are found to be shorter than those predicted by current mechanisms when the normal idealized constant volume (V) and internal energy (E) assumptions are employed. However, if non-ideal effects associated with facility performance and energy release are included in the modeling (using CHEMSHOCK, a new model which couples the experimental pressure trace with the constant V, E assumptions), the predicted ignition times more closely follow the experimental data. Applying the new CHEMSHOCK model to current experimental data allows refinement of the reaction rate for H + O₂ + Ar ↔ HO₂ + Ar, a key reaction in determining the hydrogen-oxygen ignition delay time in the low-temperature region.     

Numerical simulations of the ignition of n-heptane droplets in the transition diameter range from heterogeneous to homogeneous ignition

Spontaneous ignition of single n-heptane droplets in a constant volume filled with air is numerically simulated with the spherical symmetry. The volume is closed against mass, species, and energy transfer. The numerical model is fully transient. It continues calculation even after the droplet has completely vaporized, and therefore can predict pre-vaporized ignition. Initial pressure and initial air temperature are fixed at 3 MPa and 773 K, respectively. The droplet is initially at room temperature, and its diameter is between 1 and 100 μm. When the overall equivalence ratio is fixed to be sufficiently large, there exists no ignition limit in terms of initial droplet diameter d₀, and the ignition delay takes a minimum value at certain d₀. In such a case, transition from the heterogeneous ignition to the homogeneous ignition with decreasing d₀ is observed. When d₀ is fixed to be so small that the ignition would not occur in an infinite volume of air, the ignition delay takes a minimum value at certain , which is less than unity. Two-stage ignition behavior is investigated with this model. Ignition delay of a cool flame has the dependence on d₀ that is similar to that of ignition delay of a hot flame when is unity. When is almost zero, the ignition limit for cool flame in terms of d₀ is not identified unlike that for hot flame.     

Ignition behavior of pure and blended methyl octanoate,n-nonane,and methylcyclohexane

Excited-state species profiles and ignition delay times were obtained under dilute conditions (99% Ar) using a heated shock tube for methyl octanoate (C₉H₁₈O₂), n-nonane (n-C₉H₂₀), and methylcyclohexane (MCH) over a broad range of temperature and equivalence ratio (? = 0.5, 1.0, 2.0) at pressures near 1 and 10 atm. Measurements were then extended to include two ternary blends of the fuels using 5% and 20% (vol.) of the methyl ester under stoichiometric conditions. Using three independently validated chemical kinetics mechanisms, a model was compiled to assess the influence of methyl ester concentration on ignition delay times of the ternary blends. Under near-atmospheric pressure, ignition delay times were of the following order for the pure fuels: methyl octanoate < n-nonane < methylcyclohexane. Experimental results indicate that the ignition behavior of the higher-order methyl ester approaches that of the higher-order linear alkane with increased pressure regardless of equivalence ratio. Methyl octanoate also displayed significantly lower pressure dependence relative to the linear alkane and the cycloalkane species. Both of these results are supported by model calculations. Blending of methyl octanoate with n-nonane and methylcyclohexane impacted ignition delay time results more strongly at 1.5 atm, yet had only a small effect near 10 atm for temperatures above 1400 K. The study provides the first shock-tube data for a ternary blend of a linear alkane, a cycloalkane, and a methyl ester. Ignition delay time measurements for the C₉:0 methyl ester were also measured for the first time.     

Effects of NO2 addition on hydrogen ignition behind reflected shock waves

Ignition delay time measurements of H₂/O₂/NO₂ mixtures diluted in Ar have been measured in a shock tube behind reflected shock waves. Three different NO₂ concentrations have been studied (100, 400 and 1600 ppm) at three pressure conditions (around 1.5, 13, and 30 atm) and for various H₂–O₂ equivalence ratios for the 100 ppm NO₂ case. Results were compared to some recent ignition delay time measurements of H₂/O₂ mixtures. A strong dependence of the ignition delay time on the pressure and the NO₂ concentration was observed, whereas the variation in the equivalence ratio did not exhibit any appreciable effect on the delay time. A mechanism combining recent H₂/O₂ chemistry and a recent high-pressure NOx sub-mechanism with an updated reaction rate for H₂ + NO₂ ? HONO + H was found to represent correctly the experimental trends over the entire range of conditions. A chemical analysis was conducted using this mechanism to interpret the experimental results. Ignition delay time data with NO₂ and other NOx species as additives or impurities are rare, and the present study provides such data over a relatively wide pressure range.     

Shock tube measurements of ignition delay times and OH time-histories in dimethyl ether oxidation

Ignition delay times and OH concentration time-histories were measured in DME/O₂/Ar mixtures behind reflected shock waves. Initial reflected shock conditions covered temperatures (T₅) from 1175 to 1900 K, pressures (P₅) from 1.6 to 6.6 bar, and equivalence ratios (?) from 0.5 to 3.0. Ignition delay times were measured by collecting OH^∗ emission near 307 nm, while OH time-histories were measured using laser absorption of the R₁(5) line of the A-X(0,0) transition at 306.7 nm. The ignition delay times extended the available experimental database of DME to a greater range of equivalence ratios and pressures. Measured ignition delay times were compared to simulations based on DME oxidation mechanisms by Fischer et al. [7] and Zhao et al. [9]. Both mechanisms predict the magnitude of ignition delay times well. OH time-histories were also compared to simulations based on both mechanisms. Despite predicting ignition delay times well, neither mechanism agrees with the measured OH time-histories. OH Sensitivity analysis was applied and the reactions DME ↔ CH₃O + CH₃ and H + O₂ ↔ OH + O were found to be most important. Previous measurements of DME ↔ CH₃O + CH₃ are not available above 1220 K, so the rate was directly measured in this work using the OH diagnostic. The rate expression k[1/s] =  1.61 × 10⁷⁹T^−18.4 exp(−58600/T), valid at pressures near 1.5 bar, was inferred based on previous pyrolysis measurements and the current study. This rate accurately describes a broad range of experimental work at temperatures from 680 to 1750 K, but is most accurate near the temperature range of the study, 1350-1750 K. When this rate is used in both the Fischer et al. and Zhao et al. mechanisms, agreement between measured OH and the model predictions is significantly improved at all temperatures.     

Effects of temperature and equivalence ratio on the ignition of n-heptane fuel spray in turbulent flow

Direct numerical simulations were performed to study the autoignition process of n-heptane fuel spray in a turbulent field. For the solution of the carrier gas fluid, the Eulerian method is employed, while for the fuel droplets, the Lagrangian method is used. Droplets are initialized at random locations in a two-dimensional isotropic turbulent field. A chemistry mechanism for n-heptane with 44 species and 112 reactions was adopted to describe the chemical reactions. Three cases with the same initial global equivalence ratio (0.5) and different initial gas phase temperatures (1100, 1200, and 1300 K) were simulated. In addition, two cases with initial global equivalence ratios of 1.0 and 1.5 and initial temperature 1300 K were simulated to examine the effect of equivalence ratio. Evolution of temperature, species mass fraction, reaction rate, and the joint PDF of temperature and equivalence ratio are presented. Effects of the initial gas temperature and equivalence ratio on vaporization and ignition are discussed. A correlation was derived relating ignition delay times to temperature and equivalence ratio. It was confirmed that with the increase of initial temperature, the autoignition occurs earlier. With the increase of the initial equivalence ratio, however, autoignition occurs later due to a larger decrease in gas phase temperature caused by fuel droplet evaporation. The results obtained in this study are expected to be constructive in understanding fuel spray combustion, such as that in homogeneous charge compression ignition systems.