On Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:39:32 -0400, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:


"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
...

snip

Unless you go to the SME or MIT research sources...

That should be SAE, not SME.

And regarding the corners of the combustion chambers, that should be the
corners of the combustion *space*. Detonation is most likely to occur where
the piston meets the cylinder walls.

Detonation is most likely to occur wherever fuel is exposed to high
temperature and pressure for an "extended" periosd of time.
The pressure and temperature "crack" the hydrocarbons into hydrogen
radicals and carbon. This process takes a finite amount of time (which
is why detonation is much less of a problem at high speeds than at low
speeds). The hydrogen radicals "explode" as soon as they find a
molecule of oxygen to attach to - fire or no fire.
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