Experimental Characterization of Premixed Spherical Ethylene/Air Flames under Sooting Conditions

Authors: F. Ibarreta, C. J. Sung, and H. Wang

Direct link to the paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proci.2006.08.029

Abstract:

Purely curved, premixed, sooting ethylene/air flames were studied using a spherical porous burner under microgravity. These weak, fuel-rich flames were shown to be stabilized without the complications of hydrodynamic straining and conductive heat loss to the burner. Using the rainbow Schlieren deflectometry (RSD) optical system, the flames were imaged and the sooting flame speeds and flame thicknesses of ethylene/air mixtures were determined in the equivalence ratio range of 3.0–4.5, and for selected equivalence ratios, with additional nitrogen dilution. Numerical results obtained with detailed reaction kinetics and transport properties, but without considering soot chemistry and radiation, were shown to over-predict the flame intensity.

Citation: F. Ibarreta, C. J. Sung, and H. Wang, “Experimental Characterization of Premixed Spherical Ethylene/Air Flames under Sooting Conditions,” Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 31, 1047-1054 (2007). ***Distinguished Paper Award***