An experimental study on swirling spray flame structure by air-blast nozzle

Abstract

Detailed experimental study has been made of air blast kerosene spray flames with and without swirl in combustion air flow. Phase-Doppler detect technique is used to measure Sauter mean diameter, axial component mean and rms velocity, size-velocity correlation, and number density. These measurements are obtained for both nonreacting and reacting cases under several stable flame conditions. The results show that the introduction of swirl to the combustion air modifies the spatial distribution of droplet size, velocity, and number density, and thus alters the flame structure. However, due to the weak swirl intensity, the overall structure of swirling flames are essentially same as that of nonswirling flames. Physical model of structure of air blast atomized spray flames is projected to show that spray flames are composed of three distinct regions: the two-phase mixture region, the main reaction and the intermittent combustion region. Near the atomizer, two phase mixture of droplet and air is formed in the core region. This dense spray region is characterized by high droplet number density and the strong convective effect. There follows the main combustion region where the main flame penetrates within the spray boundary. Main reaction region of these flames are governed by internal group combustion mode. Finally there exists the intermittent combustion region where local group burning or isolated droplet burning occurs.