Developments and applications of porous medium combustion: A recent review

Highlights: • Advantages and applications of porous medium combustion are summarized. • Factors affecting porous medium combustion are discussed. • Excess enthalpy flames and superadiabatic combustion are discussed in detail. Global attention on fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and the ability to operate with a wide range of fuels having low calorific values, continues to drive research and development in the field of porous medium combustion (PMC). PMC is a modern technology where combustion occurs within voids of the solid porous matrix. Researchers worldwide have developed PMC technology for various applications: from classical fields like turbines, internal combustion engines, heat exchangers, oil and gas extraction devices to modern areas like food processors, thermoelectric generators, etc. Though the ability of PMC to internally regenerate heat makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, yet its development is challenged by bottlenecks in flame propagation, flammability limits, operating efficiency, etc. This study has compiled global PMC research for application in small-scale energy-efficient systems. Following the general background, fundamental and governing parameters modulating PMC are presented here. Numerous significant and recent developments in the fundamental challenge of flame stabilization in PMC are discussed. This review focuses on the research conducted so far in the field of porous medium combustion to enable its wide application. Finally, this review discusses the various challenges and scope of future research essential in the development of PMC technology.