Measurement of radical-species concentrations and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in flames by fluorescence and absorption using a tunable dye laser. Progress report, March 1, 1980-February 28, 1981

Abstract

A theoretical and experimental investigation of OH saturated fluorescence is described. The goal of the research is to develop a saturated fluorescence technique which will yield accurate molecular number densities over a wide range of flame pressure, temperature, and composition. Experimentally, OH is excited by a ten nanosecond pulse from a Nd:YAG-pumped dye laser tuned to an isolated rotational transition in the (0,0) band of the A/sup 2/..sigma../sup +/-X/sup 2/ pi electronic system. The resulting fluorescence signal is resolved both spectrally and temporally. Total OH number densities are calculated by collecting fluorescence from the directly excited upper rotational level, and using the balanced cross-rate model to analyze the experimental data. Fluorescence measurements of OH number density agree to within a factor of three with the results of independent OH absorption measurements. Significantly, the ratio of the fluorescence signal to the number density measured by absorption is nearly the same in 30, 100 and 250 torr H/sub 2//O/sub 2//N/sub 2/ flat flames, demonstrating the insensitivity of the saturated fluorescence signal to the quenching environment of the radical. Collisional transfer in excited OH is studied by recording the time development of OH fluorescence spectrum. The experimental spectra are compared with the resultsmore » of time-dependent computer modeling. By varying rotational transfer rates until the calculated and experimental spectra agree, rotational transfer cross sections can be calculated. The signal processing system was thoroughly checked by comparing the photomultiplier output to that of a fast photodiode, and by comparing single pulse Rayleigh scattering and fluorescence traces with sampling oscilloscope traces.« less