Effect of orifice plates spaces on flame propagation in a square cross-section channel

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of orifice plate separation distance on flame behavior as well as pressure-time histories. Experiments were conducted in a 1 m long, 7 cm by 7 cm square cross-section channel, employing schlieren photography with high-speed camera for visualization to qualitatively identify the propagation mechanisms, and piezoelectric pressure transducers to measure pressure evolution. With two orifice plates in the path of the flame, the flame presents complicated propagating characteristics, i.e., compared to a planar flame, and a corresponding more intricate velocity time-history. It is found that acoustic waves generated in-between orifice plates, after reflection off the second plate, interact with the rear flame front to produce an approximately planar flame. This phenomenon vanishes with decrease in orifice plate separation distance, whereas, with increasing blocking effect the effect is enhanced. In addition, the pressure difference across the second orifice plate correlates with the jet flame length.