A new robust modeling strategy for multi-component droplet heat and mass transfer in general ambient conditions

•A new robust model for multi-component droplet heat and mass transfer is proposed.•The interaction of hydrophilic droplets with combustion products can be described.•Ideal and non-ideal binary mixtures, including hydrous ethanol, are analyzed.•The inclusion of differential diffusion interferes with the preference of vapor release. Liquid fuels used for spray combustion processes are predominantly composed of several mixed components. The atomization of a liquid jet forms multi-component liquid droplets. These droplets are subject to heat and mass transfers in a vast range of atmosphere configurations, resulting in complex interactions. This example of spray combustion summarizes the diversity of scenarios that a droplet may experience in a spray flow. Unfortunately, available models in the literature exhibit limitations for characterizing such complex interactions. This work proposes a novel modeling strategy to account for such interactions in diverse scenarios grounded in a consistent computational approach. We derive a new formulation from general transport equations of the gas phase. We validate the resulting model by comparing numerical results with available experimental data and consider binary mixtures of liquids evaporating in different ambient conditions. Compared to other reference approaches, the proposed model proves to be efficient in all tested scenarios, including severe atmosphere compositions and states. Additional differential diffusion effects among participating species are observed, not only for mass but also for heat transfer.