High-speed tomographic PIV and OH PLIF measurements in turbulent reactive flows

Abstract

High-speed tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV) is demonstrated in turbulent reactive flows at acquisition rates ranging from 10 to 16 kHz. The 10-kHz TPIV measurements are combined with planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging of OH to mark the high-temperature reaction zone of the flame. Simultaneous TPIV/OH PLIF measurements are applied to the stabilization region of a weakly turbulent lifted dimethyl ether (DME)/air jet flame (Re D = 7,600) and the mixing layer of a turbulent partially premixed DME/air jet flame (Re D = 29,300). In the lifted jet flame, vortical structures exhibit time-dependent morphological changes and eventually dissipate as they approach the flame. In the near field of the turbulent jet flame, dynamics of localized extinction are captured as coherent structures with high compressive strain rates interact with the reaction zone and subsequently break apart. The principal axis of compressive strain has a strong preferential orientation at 45° with respect to the jet axis. The three-dimensional velocity field measurements are used to evaluate biases in two-dimensional (2D) measurements of compressive strain rates in a turbulent jet flame. The biases in the 2D measurements primarily stem from out-of-plane orientation of the principal axis of compressive strain. Comparisons with a constant density turbulent non-reactive jet (Re D = 22,600) show that the jet flame has larger coherent structures that are confined near the reaction zone. Data from the non-reactive jet are also used to evaluate effects of noise, bias, and spatial averaging on measurements of the velocity and velocity gradients.