Abstract
During this study, flow visualization through the use of imaging provided visual data of the events that occurred as the flame oscillated. Imaging was performed in two different ways: 1) the first method was phase-locked imaging to capture a detailed history by simply advancing the phase angle during each image capture, 2) the second method involved high-speed imaging to gather visual image data of a natural or forced oscillating flame. For visualization, two items were considered. The first one was the shape of the flame envelope as it evolved during one oscillation cycle. From the data gathered, it was confirmed that the flame stretched in the vertical direction before quenching in the region near its center. The second consideration was imaging of the oxidizer (air) in the region immediately outside the flame. This was done by imaging the laser light reflected from particles seeded into the flow, which revealed formation of vortical structures in those regions where quenching had occurred. It was noted that quenching took place primarily by the entrainment of fresh non-reacting air into the flame. The quenching process was in turn responsible for the oscillatory behavior.
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Nadir Yilmaz: Dr. Yilmaz received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 1999, Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Bradley University in 2001 and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering fro m New Mexico State University in 2005. After obtaining his Ph.D., he worked as an assistant professor at New Mexico State University until 2006. He works as an assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology since 2006. His research interests are computational fluid dynamics, combustion, chemical kinetics, alternative fuels and internal combustion engines.
A. Burl Donaldson: Dr. Donaldson received a MS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Utah in 1965 and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University in 1969, where he teaches now. He worked at Sandia National Laboratories-Albuquerque for 12 years, and with a venture company seeking to commercialize direct contact steam generators for heavy oil recovery for 8 years. He maintains part time employment at Sandia with an emphasis on heat transfer in solid and liquid rocket propellant fires, but also works with IC and EC engines with a focus on emissions and alternate fuels.
Walter Gill: Dr. Gill received his Bachelor of Science in 1969, Master of Science in 1971 and Ph.D. in 1979, in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University. Dr. Gill has served in several technical positions including his current position as a Member of Senior Staff at Sandia National Laboratories where he is involved in various thermal measurements; principally with measurements and characterization of the thermal environments in fires. Specific environments of interest are large hydrocarbon pool fires and solid propellant fires.
Ralph E. Lucero: He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University in 2004, Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from New Mexico State University in 2006. His areas of expertise are experimental combustion, particle image velocimetry and thermal sciences.
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Yilmaz, N., Donaldson, A.B., Gill, W. et al. Imaging of flame behavior in flickering methane/air diffusion flames. J Vis 12, 47–55 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03181942
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03181942