Velocity measurements in inhomogeneous combustion systems

Abstract

Measurements of velocity have been made in single-phase and two-phase combustion systems using laser anemometers. Argon ion lasers, Bragg cells for frequency shifting, forward and backscatter collection, signal processing, and computer analysis are used for velocity measurement. The set of vertical and horizontal fringes allows two orthogonal velocity components to be measured simultaneously and instanteously. Radiation line filters are installed in the photomultiplier detectors to remove influence of flame radiation on velocity measurements. Instantaneous measurements of three orthogonal velocity components ( u, v, w) are made over time periods sufficiently long for statistically valid time averaging. Conditional sampling is used on velocity-time traces to separate periodic fluctuations of flow field structure (form intermittency) from microscale fluctuations intrinsic to fluid mechanic turbulence. For two-phase flow systems with liquid fuel injection, the phase Doppler particle analyzer measures the size and velocity of single drops simultaneously. The technique is based upon the measurement of the interference fringe patterns produced by spherical drops passing through the intersection of two laser beams. Three detectors, separated at fixed spacing, are used to receive Doppler signals and to determine the phase shift due to different path lengths of the laser beam. The spatial frequency of the interference fringe pattern is linearly proportional to the measured drop size. The instrument also provides local point information on liquid flux, number density, size-velocity correlation, and spatial and temporal mean drop size. Detailed measurements have been made in burning and nonburning air-assisted atomizer sprays revealing the detailed structural changes in the sprays as a result of drop collision and coalescence, evaporation, dispersion, and acceleration. Comparisons of mean drop sizes, number densities, and velocities under burning and nonburning conditions show the extent that the spray and flow fields are modified by combustion.