Keywords

Laser spark, ignition, diffusion flames, non premixed, damkohler number, ignition delay time, counterflow, thermal diffusive properties, diluents

Abstract

A pulsed Nd:YAG laser is used to study laser spark ignition of methane counter-flow diffusion flames with the use of helium and argon as diluents to achieve a wide range of variations in transport properties. The global strain rate and Damkohler number on successful ignition were investigated for the effects of Lewis number and transport properties, which are dependent on the diluent type and dilution level. A high-speed camera is used to record the ignition events and a software is used for pre-ignition flow field and mixing calculations. It is found that the role of effective Lewis number on the critical global strain rate, beyond which ignition is not possible, is qualitatively similar that on the extinction strain rate. With the same level of dilution, the inert diluent with smaller Lewis number yields larger critical global strain rate. The critical Damkohler number below which no ignition is possible is found to be within approximately 20% for all the fuel-inert gas mixtures studied. When successful ignition takes place, the ignition time increases as the level of dilution of argon is increased. The ignition time decreases with increasing level of helium dilution due to decreases in thermal diffusion time, which causes rapid cooling of the flammable layer during the ignition process. However, the critical strain for ignition with helium dilution rapidly decreases as the dilution level is increased. The experimental results show that with the increase of strain rate the time to steady flame decreases, and that with the increase of dilution level time for the flame to become steady increases. For the same level of dilution, the time for steady flame is observed to be longer for He-diluted flames than for Ar-diluted flames due to its thermal diffusivity being larger than that of Ar.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2012

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Deng, Weiwei

Degree

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Degree Program

Mechanical Engineering; Thermofluids

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0004295

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0004295

Language

English

Release Date

May 2012

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Engineering and Computer Science;Engineering and Computer Science -- Dissertations, Academic

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