Experimental Characterization of Soot Formation in Diffusion Flames and Explosive Fireballs

Abstract

This report summarizes a 5-year effort at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to study soot formation in diffusion flames. The work described begins with experimental and modeling studies of atmospheric pressure ethylene (C2H4)/air (N2-O2) flames to which metaxylene (C8H10) is added on the fuel side. Several laser-based diagnostic methods are discussed, including an extensive effort to measure acetylene gas in flames using a quantum cascade laser. The report also describes efforts to construct an elevated pressure-opposed flow burner and presents data on soot formation in ethylene/air flames in this burner to a total pressure of ~3 bar. During the course of this work, new experimental techniques of high-speed digital temperature and pressure mapping were developed. These techniques, described here in detail, became the focus of the latter part of the research. They are also applied to flame analysis and explosion measurement as a way of illustrating the ability to measure pressure and temperature during dynamic events. The report finishes with a discussion of unresolved or incomplete questions and tasks, and a list of publications.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA561575

Entities

People

  • Barrie Homan
  • Brendan Mcandrew
  • Chol-Bum Kweon
  • John Densmore
  • Kevin L. McNesby
  • Matt Biss
  • Matt Kurman
  • Richard Benjamin
  • Zachary Quine

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alkynes
  • Cameras
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Laser Induced Fluorescence
  • Lasers
  • Light Sources
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Science
  • Materials Testing
  • Measurement
  • Optics
  • Photographs
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Quantum Cascade Lasers

Readers

  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Technical Research and Report Writing.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Quantum Computing