Laser measurement techniques applied to turbulent combustion in piston engines

Abstract

The application of experimental laser diagnostic techniques to the study of turbulent flame propagation in homogeneous-charge internal combustion engines is demonstrated. A variety of laser refraction and scattering techniques are employed: the qualitative shape and detailed internal turbulence structure of the flame surface is investigated using laser schlieren photography; the flame location and local flame speed are measured using multibeam laser refraction; the instantaneous flame thickness is measured using Rayleigh scattering; gas temperatures are measured using Rayleigh and Raman scattering; gas velocity, turbulence intensities, and time scales of turbulence are measured using laser Doppler velocimetry. The problem of cyclic variation bias in turbulence measurements is addressed using conditional sampling procedures that involve the simultaneous implementation of multiple diagnostics. This paper focuses on the thermodynamic and fluid mechanic properties of interest to turbulence combustion studies, illustrating how laser diagnostics can be used to research the critical areas of interest.