Law
Chung Law
Robert H. Goddard Professor
Ph.D. University of California at San Diego (1973)
Fellow, American Physical Society
Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics
Member, National Academy of Engineering
Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Profile
My primary research focus is on the fundamentals of combustion, with applications in propulsion, energy and environmental issues. Scientific disciplines which are of direct interest are chemical kinetics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, and high-temperature gasdynamics.
Current Topics
- aerodynamics of laminar and turbulent flames
- chemical structure of flames
- computational combustion
- combustion and dynamics of droplets and sprays
- ignition, extinction and flammability phenomena
- flame-generated pollutants especially soot
- formulation and combustion of high-performance propellants
- microgravity combustion
- supersonic combustion
- combustion synthesis of materials
- laser-diagnostics of flames
- fuel formulation and utilization
- hydrogen combustion, economy, and hazards
- development and reduction of reaction mechanisms
- combustion instability
- CO2-breathing propulsion for Mars exploration
Our research methodologies encompass high-level mathematical analysis, experimentation including state-of-the-art laser diagnostics, and computational simulation of complex flows and chemistry. The group typically consists of twelve to fifteen researchers, with about half being graduate students and the rest research personnel and visiting fellows.
Selected Publications
343. “The transient start of supersonic jets,” by M. I. Radulescu and C.K. Law, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 578, pp. 331-369 (2007).
344. “On transition to cellularity in expanding spherical flames,” by G. Jomaas, C.K. Law, and J.K. Bechtold, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 583, pp. 1-26 (2007).
345. “The effect of flame structure on soot formation and transport in turbulent nonpremixed flames
using direct numerical simulation,” by D.O. Lignell, J.H Chen, P.J. Smith, T.F. Lu, and C.K. Law, Combustion and Flame, Vol. 151, pp. 2-8 (2007).
346. “Simulation of soot formation in turbulent premixed flames,” by H. El-Asrag, T. Lu, C. K. Law,
and S. Menon, Combustion and Flame, Vol. 150, pp. 108-126 (2007).
347. “An experimental investigation on ethylene/O2/diluent mixtures: laminar flame speeds with
preheat and ignition delays at high pressures,” K. Kumar, G. Mittal, C.-J. Sung and C. K. Law, Combustion and Flame, in press.
348. “Fundamental and combustion properties of H2/CO mixtures: Ignition and flame propagation at
elevated pressures,” by C.J. Sung and C.K. Law, Combustion Science and Technology, in press.
349. “Linear response of stretch-affected premixed flames to flow oscillations,” by H.Y. Wang,
Preetham, T. Sai Kumar, T. Lieuwen, and C.K. Law, submitted.
350. “Effects of temporally varying liquid-phase mass diffusivity in multicomponent droplet
gasification,” by H.Q. Zhang and C.K. Law, Combustion and Flame, in press.
351. “Strategies for mechanism reduction for large hydrocarbons: n-heptane,” by T.F. Lu and C.K.
Law, Combustion and Flame, in press.
352. “Experimental and mechanistic description of merging and bouncing in head-on binary droplet
collision,” by Kuo-Long Pan and C.K. Law, submitted.
353. “A CSP-based criterion for the identification of QSS species: A reduced mechanism for methane
oxidation with NO chemistry,” by T.F. Lu and C.K. Law, submitted.
