The behavior of partially premixed flames

In this investigation, we have characterized the structure of two-dimensional partially-premixed slot burner flames through the measurement of the heat release topography, and the temperature and velocity distribution. The measurements were used to infer the flame stretch and the response of the local propagation speed of the inner rich premixed reaction zone in these flames to stretch rate variations due to hydrodynamic and curvature effects. The inner premixed reaction zone of the PPFs exhibits a highly curved portion near its tip and planar topography along its lower portion. An “effective flame speed” was characterized for two flames beyond the rich flammability limit that can only burn in a partially-premixed mode due to the synergy between the inner premixed and outer nonpremixed reaction zones. The reaction zone speed in the curved region increases significantly during the transition from a planar to curved topology due to curvature effects. The Markstein relation must be suitably modified to account for the curvature of the reaction zones for flame with negative curvature. Negative curvature increases the local value of the flame speed above the unstretched flame speed S_u o while positive curvature decreases it below that value. Although curvature effects are included in the definition of stretch, they are not fully accounted for by the S_u(κ) Markstein linear relation. This implies that the curvature has an influence on S_u through κ and another more explicit effect. The propagation of triple flames in premixed and nonpremixed jet modes was investigated. The response of flame speed at the triple point to stretch has a turning behavior due to the variation of the radius of curvature while the flame is propagating downward. In normal gravity, the buoyant gases accelerate the flow in a direction opposite to the gravity vector, causing air entrainment, which enhances the mixing of the reactants with ambient laboratory air and consequently, influences the flame structure. Therefore, a multipurpose experimental drop rig was built at NASA Glenn research center to microgravity experiments.