Interactions for flames in a coaxial flow with a stagnation point

Shuhn Shyurng Hou, Shuhn Shing Yang, Shyang Jiang Chen, Ta Hui Lin

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12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The possible burning structures existing in two co-flowing combustible mixtures with different compositions, and their implications to the field of turbulent combustion are examined in this study. A coaxial burner with a quartz plate was used to experimentally investigate the flames of methane/air and propane/air mixtures propagating in a coaxial flow impinging onto a stagnation surface. The possible burning structures were observed to be: (1) a single-flame (a lean or rich premixed flame); (2) a double-flame (two lean or rich premixed flames, or a rich premixed flame and a diffusion flame); and (3) a triple-flame (a rich premixed flame, a diffusion flame and a lean premixed flame). An inner (or outer) mixture, far beyond the flammability limit, can still burn if a stronger outer (or inner) flame supports it. The extinction limit of the top part of the inner hat-shaped premixed flame is nearly independent of the burning intensity of the outer flame. It was found that the inner flame has a wider flammable region than the outer flame, and that the latter has a narrower flashback region than the former. Both propane and methane flames may exhibit flame-front instability, although the former displays much more clearly than the latter. Cellular and polyhedral instabilities can exist individually or appear simultaneously in the inner flame. However, only polyhedral (stripped-pattern) instability was observed in the outer flame. Finally, the experiments were analyzed theoretically using a simple geometrical model incorporated with the numerical simulations. The predicted shapes and locations of the flames are in good agreement with the experimental observations qualitatively.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)58-72
Number of pages15
JournalCombustion and Flame
Volume132
Issue number1-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003 Jan 1

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Chemistry
  • General Chemical Engineering
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • General Physics and Astronomy

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