Planar Laser-induced Fluorescence Technique Research Articles

On the effects of walking speed, crowd density and human-to-source distance on pollutant dispersion in indoor spaces

The effects of walking speed, crowd density and human-to-source distance on pollutant dispersion in two scaled room models are investigated using simultaneous planar laser-induced fluorescence and particle-image velocimetry techniques. For a small 3 m high room, where the length-scales of the people and room are comparable, the walking motions significantly influenced the macro room mean flow patterns. This has a strong effect on the scalar dispersion properties as the magnitudes of the advective scalar fluxes are often comparable or larger than the turbulent scalar fluxes. As such, the scalar dispersion properties are case specific. For a large 9 m high room, the walking motion influenced only the local mean flow field. The increase in walking speed and crowd density improves the efficiency in which the scalar is transported and mixed with fresh ambient fluid out of the measurement plane (i.e. along the direction of the motion), leading to scalar-free zones observed on the opposite side of the room from the ventilation outlet. The area of the scalar-free zone increases with an increase in the walking speed and crowd density. The advective scalar fluxes are more sensitive to the human motion than the turbulent components, and as the mixing efficiency improves, the advective fluxes show a greater weakening with increased distance from source. The concentration PDFs in the near-source region can be described by the exponential function where the expected value at the 99% percentile can be derived as C99/crms′=4.61, which agreed well with the experimental measurements of 4.1 to 5.9.

Characterizing turbulent non-premixed flame structure and pollutant formation of cracked ammonia jet flames using simultaneous NH and NO PLIF

The combustion of cracked ammonia is crucial for enhancing flame stability and reducing pollutant emissions in ammonia-based combustion systems. This study investigated the flame structure and pollutant formation in cracked ammonia jet flames (CAJFs) to improve our understanding of the turbulence-chemistry interactions in ammonia combustion. A simultaneous NH and NO planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique was employed to analyze the flame structure of turbulent non-premixed CAJFs, emulated using ammonia-hydrogen–nitrogen mixtures. Experimental measurements were conducted across a range of pressures (1–5 bar) and cracking ratios (7 %-28 %). The results revealed the significant influence of the cracking ratio on the chemical reactivity and NH-layer characteristics of ammonia-hydrogen flames. NH effectively marked the heat release layer of CAJFs. Reducing the cracking ratio from 28 % to 7 % resulted in increased local extinction-induced NH-layer fragmentation and reduced reaction area. The reaction layer thickness exhibited low sensitivity to the cracking ratio and pressure, while the broadening of the NH layer displayed a slowdown pattern with increasing height, differing from premixed flames. The pollutant NO rapidly formed within the reaction zone, persisting in the outer hot products until reduced by turbulent mixing. The fragmented flame structure promoted decreased NO formation and potentially lower NO concentration. A novel approach of multiplying NH and NO was proposed to reflect the formation characteristics of another important pollutant N2O. The effect of turbulent disturbances on N2O formation needs to be considered in turbulent CAJFs because N2O formation is strongly suppressed when turbulent transport reduces local NO concentration. This research enhances understanding of turbulence-chemistry interactions in cracked ammonia combustion, benefiting ammonia flame stability and pollutant emission control.

An investigation of flow regimes and mixing in a novel arrow-shaped jet reactor

Fluid mixing plays a vital role in the industry of chemical engineering. In this work, a novel arrow-shaped jet reactor by varying the angle of fluid impingement in the inlet channel was investigated. Flow field visualization experiments using Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) technique were carried out to study various flow regimes and mixing performance. Results show that differentiated flow patterns of engulfment flow regimes appear within the arrow-shaped jet reactor. Particularly, vortex ring shedding was found in the unsteady engulfing flow regime, which promoted the mixing significantly. Besides, the mechanism of the variation of fluid impinging angle on mixing in an arrow-shaped jet reactor was investigated by numerical simulation. The results indicate that the transformation from double-leg vortex to single-leg vortex and the increase of the volume of vortex clusters caused by vortex ring shedding are the main reasons for the improvement of the mixing of engulfment flow regime.

An experimental study of the dynamics and mass transfer of a rising bubble

In this work, the rise characteristics of shrinking CO2 and non-shrinking N2 bubbles in distilled water for a wide range of bubble sizes in ellipsoidal and wobbly regime (deq = 1.5 mm to 6.5 mm) have been investigated. For these bubbles, their size, trajectory, and rise velocity have been measured using a moving camera system, while the dissolved CO2 is qualitatively studied using a planar laser-induced fluorescence (P-LIF) technique. We explore the interplay between hydrodynamics and mass transfer using well-studied regimes in bubble behaviour. Our results show that the interrelation between mass transfer and bubble rise dynamics is quasi-steady in nature and strongly dependent on wake-induced effects: shape and path oscillations. Based on an analogy of the two phenomena, we conclude that the behaviour of smaller bubbles (<2 mm) as immobile spheres from a mass transfer perspective is not related to the mobility of the interface, but a lack of surface renewal of dissolved gas at the interface. We propose a mechanistic correlation for calculating the mass transfer coefficient, kL, in this regime of bubble size, using the knowledge of the drag coefficient.

Experimental investigation of scalar dispersion in indoor spaces

The scalar dispersion from point sources in indoor spaces is experimentally investigated using simultaneous particle–image velocimetry and planar laser-induced fluorescence techniques in a 20:1 and a 60:1 full-to-model scale room model. The ventilation inlets dominate turbulence production, with magnitudes of the velocities and Reynolds stresses observed to increase with air changes per hour (ACH). Mean concentration maps show a dependence on the ACH and source location which is attributed to the flow field at the near-source region. The peak-to-mean concentration shows a weak dependence on the mean concentration and concentration variance maps, indicating risk for toxic chemicals may be underpredicted if based only on these information. The concentration PDFs are generally well-described by exponential distributions with C99/crms′ values never exceeding 5.0. The magnitudes of the advective and turbulent scalar fluxes are strongly dependent on the ACH and source location, neither of which are able to dominate the other by more than an order of magnitude. The eddy diffusivity tensor was measured and a conditional-averaging based method is proposed to approximate it to an isotropic eddy diffusion coefficient, K. For real applications where K is used to estimate magnitudes of the turbulent scalar flux using the gradient transport model, the assumption of isotropic turbulence can introduce an uncertainty of around 17.8%.

Modeling of wavy water film by application of artificial neural network - a state of art study

Nowadays, artificial intelligence (AI) tools have attained a state of maturity and have advanced at a quick rate of achievement in various fields of study. Thus, the predictive and classification of artificial intelligence AI capabilities in manufacturing, commercial, and scientific research applications have resulted in remarkable success. It is widely known that two-phase flow is such a complex problem, and it has a vital state of study due to its importance and wide range of applications. Such as water film phenomena are critical for various industries, including nuclear protection, energy generation, absorption processes, internal combustion engines, chemical reactors, and spray cooling. The present study presented a realistic model for a particular two-phase flow problem of water film thickness. Also, we used neurotic networks for prediction and classification, such as the conventional neural network (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). The proposed model was evaluated using various raw data, including the input liquid Reynolds number, the Reynolds gas number, the angle of inclination, and the thickness of the water film. The water film thickness was determined using a planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique on the various inclination platforms. The current experimental work's inclination angle varied between 0 and 50 degrees. However, when the Reynolds number of the input water changed from 175 to 435, the thickness of the water film was determined; Reynolds gas numbers range from 6950 to 34800.The current study findings indicate an effective alternative method for detecting and forecasting water films on a sloping plate. Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) affected 99 %, 97 %, and 94 % of forecasts, respectively. The findings show tremendous improvement when deep learning uses both LSTM and CNN. The gravitational pressure and air share tension push the water film.

Effect of filament length on the flow field of a rotationally oscillating cylinder with an attached filament

Experimental studies are conducted to examine the effect of filament length on the flow field and forces in the flow past a rotationally oscillating cylinder with an attached filament. The diagnostics are flow visualization through planar laser-induced fluorescence technique and characterization of the velocity and vorticity field using planar particle image velocimetry measurements. The streamwise force is estimated through control volume analysis, using an improved expression, described in Sunil et al., J. Fluid Mech. 930, A3 (2022). With an increase in the filament length, the wake structure transitions from a Kármán wake to a reverse Bénard–Kármán wake and subsequently to an asymmetric wake. This happens at a Strouhal number of StA = 0.25 and 0.6, respectively. The transition from a Kármán wake to a reverse Kármán wake precedes the drag-to-thrust transition. Thrust generation is observed to be a function of both the cylinder forcing parameters and the filament length. Shorter filaments (L/D = 0.5 and 1) produce drag, whereas longer filaments (L/D = 2, 3, and 4) produce thrust at FR≥ 2.5. Normalized values of circulation scale well with the filament length, L, and the filament tip velocity, VTE, in the case of longer filaments. The effect of filament length on vortex dynamics and thrust generation is examined through a time evolution of the instantaneous vorticity, velocity, and kinetic energy data. Maximum momentum and kinetic energy content is observed in the flow field near the instants when the vortices are shed in the wake.

High-Frequency Pulsed Coaxial Injectors for High-Speed Flow Mixing and Control

Efficient and controlled mixing of fuel with fast-moving air is a challenging physical problem relevant to hypersonic systems. Although mixing happens at the molecular level through diffusion, the macroscopic phenomenon such as entrainment and vorticity dynamics resulting from the shear layer instabilities of the mixing fluids play a significant role in the overall efficiency of the process. With a focus on improving mixing at extreme flow conditions, this paper presents a fundamental study of a novel, high-speed, pulsed coflow system integrated with ultrahigh-frequency actuators (11–20 kHz). This injection system consists of a supersonic actuation air jet at the inner core that provides large mean and fluctuating velocity profiles in the shear layers of a fluid stream injected surrounding the core through an annular nozzle, with pulsing occurring at a designated frequency. The high-frequency streamwise vortices and shockwaves tailored to the mean flow significantly enhanced supersonic flow mixing between the fluids compared to a steady coaxial configuration operating at the same input pressure. Experiments also indicate a strong connection between the frequency and unsteady amplitude of the actuation jet to the supersonic flow mixing phenomenon. This paper reports the design details of the injector assembly and flow mixing characteristics captured using phase-locked microschlieren and planar laser-induced fluorescence techniques.

Turbulent dispersion of a passive scalar in a smooth-wall turbulent boundary layer

The scalar dispersion of a ground-level point-source plume in a smooth-wall turbulent boundary layer is experimentally investigated using simultaneous particle image velocimetry and planar laser-induced fluorescence techniques. In the near-source region, the viscous sublayer is observed to trap dye, while in the far field, the half-width, vertical profiles and peak decay of the mean concentration and concentration variance exhibit self-similar behaviour and collapse with empirical relations. Full two-dimensional maps of the turbulent scalar fluxes show a net transport direction of upward and towards the incoming flow, with the vertical profiles collapsing well with Weibull-type exponential functions and the decay of peaks following power laws. Using the first-order gradient transport to model the turbulent scalar fluxes, maps of the anisotropic turbulent diffusivity tensor and an effective turbulent diffusivity coefficient are calculated. The streamwise and wall-normal turbulent scalar fluxes are driven dominantly by the wall-normal concentration gradient. The turbulent Schmidt number, relating the turbulent diffusivity and the turbulent (eddy) viscosity calculated using the Boussinesq hypothesis, varies with wall-normal position with values of the order of unity in the logarithmic layer.

Simultaneous planar laser-induced fluorescence measurement of reactant NH3, radical NH, and pollutant NO in ammonia-hydrogen flames using a single dye laser

The stability, local extinction, and NOx production of ammonia-hydrogen (NH3-H2) flames are significantly impacted by turbulence-chemistry interactions. A powerful technique to study these interactions is planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF). However, multi-scalar PLIF typically requires complex and expensive systems, with multiple laser sources. This study proposes a novel PLIF technique using a single dye laser to perform simultaneous, single-shot imaging of the reactant NH3, radical NH, and pollutant NO in NH3-H2 flames. According to the excitation scans and the emission spectra of NH3, NH, and NO, three wavelength couples can be used to image the three species simultaneously via two-photon excitation of NH3C'−X (2,0), single-photon excitation of NH A3Π−X3Σ− (0,0) near 304 nm, and single-photon excitation of NO A2Σ+−X2Π (0,1) near 237 nm. Wavelengths near 237 nm and 304 nm are obtained simultaneously with only one dye laser by combining outputs of the frequency-doubling and frequency mixing units. NH3-, NH-, and NO-PLIF imaging performance is analyzed by quantifying the signal-to-noise ratios and detection limits. This technique is then used to visualize the structure of premixed and non-premixed flames over wide ranges of NH3 and H2 concentrations in the fuel blend. Results show that the premixed NH3-H2 flames have a compact structure, while the non-premixed flames exhibit a large gap between NH3- and NH-PLIF layers, where ammonia undergoes significant decomposition before reaching the reaction layer. The inner edge of the NO-PLIF layer overlaps well with the reaction layer represented by the NH-PLIF layer in all flames. The fully developed turbulent structure downstream of the NH3-H2 flame causes pinching-off of the premixed flame front and local extinction of the diffusion flame front.

Two-dimensional visualization of induction zone in hydrogen detonations

The induction zone length is an important length scale for gaseous detonations, as it is correlated with other characteristic parameters such as the cell size. A good characterization of the induction zone can then lead to a better comprehension of the detonation structure. In this context, this study investigates two-dimensional (2D) visualizations of induction zones in stoichiometric hydrogen-air and hydrogen-oxygen-nitrogen-argon mixtures. The detonation speed for both mixtures is close to the Chapman Jouguet speed, and without wall losses. Planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique was employed, by exciting nitric oxide (NO) molecules (i.e., NO-PLIF). In both mixtures, 1900 ppm of NO was added as a tracer to ensure a good signal-to-noise ratio in the von Neumann condition. The NO-PLIF images displayed a variation of the experimental induction length along the cellular cycle. Large and short induction lengths were observed for incident shock and Mach stem, respectively. A total of 2727 experimental induction lengths were extracted from the NO-PLIF images, among 79 individual experiments. Statistical analyses of these data showed that the mixture with lower activation energy exhibited less dispersion of the data compared to the mixture with higher activation energy. Non-equilibrium effects were not observed in the fluorescence profiles and induction length measurements.

Investigation of dynamic mixedness characteristics of a transverse acoustically excited turbulent jet by high-repetition-rate acetone tracer planar laser-induced fluorescence technique

The dynamic mixedness characteristics of a bluff-body stabilized turbulent jet under transverse acoustic excitations were investigated using high-repetition-rate acetone planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) at 7 kHz and multipoint scanning hot-wire measurements. Acetone mixedness imaging was applied for the turbulent jet to assess the interaction between the turbulent jet and the imposed transverse acoustic excitations at a driving frequency of 50 Hz. The high-repetition-rate acetone PLIF images showed that the acetone mixedness distribution swung left and right frequently under the transverse acoustic excitation, and the deflection angle could reach about 6°. The mixedness area of a turbulent jet flow could also be increased by 13.3% when excited by a transverse acoustic wave. Meanwhile, the sequence of instantaneous acetone PLIF images illustrated how the wrinkled edges were generated when acoustic excitations were imposed. The curvature of the acetone PLIF interface showed that the portion of large curvatures increased by 60% after applying an acoustic wave of 123 dB. Multipoint hot-wire measurements further stressed that the turbulent intensity at the transverse acoustic excitation of 123 dB increased to be about 1.3 times the natural turbulence. The proper orthogonal decomposition results showed that the large and small scales of the jet wrinkles both increased with the sound pressure level. RANS transient simulation also implied that distorted velocity streamlines could be achieved inside the turbulent jet due to the transverse acoustic excitation. They could further lead to inhomogeneous convection and increased mixing between the turbulent jet and the surrounding air.

Application of Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence for Interfacial Transfer Phenomena

The present review describes the current achievements in the applications of a planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) method for the diagnostics of liquid films, bubbles, individual droplets, and sprays. Such flows are related with strongly curved interphases, which often results in additional high errors during the PLIF data quantification because of laser light reflection, refraction, and absorption. The present review demonstrates that a two-color PLIF approach and a PLIF modification for regularly structured illumination resolves the reflection- and refraction-caused errors. The latter modification ensures proper phase separation in the measurement cross-section and visualization of the interface dynamics. The former approach provides the accurate evaluation of the local temperature and concentration both in liquid and gaseous phases even in the case of strong variations of the laser sheet intensity. With intensified cameras, the PLIF method is used for multi-parameter diagnostics of the two-phase combustion of sprays in combustion chambers with optical access. It visualizes and quantifies the liquid fuel evaporation and mixing, to measure temperature in the gas and liquid phases and to reveal the regions of pollutant formation. The PLIF technique can also be easily combined with a particle image (or tracking) velocimetry method, to evaluate local heat and mass transfer.

Laboratory Studies of Internal Solitary Waves Propagating and Breaking over Submarine Canyons

This paper carried out laboratory experiments to study evolution of internal solitary waves (ISWs) over submarine canyons with a combination of PIV (particle image velocimetry) and PLIF (planar laser-induced fluorescence) techniques. Taking canyon angle θ and collapse height ∆H as variables, Froude number Fr, head position, energy loss, vorticity field and turbulence intensity when ISWs propagate to the canyon were analyzed. According to the Froude number Fr values, the study cases can be divided into three types: Fr &gt; 1.7 means complete internal hydraulic jump (IHJ); 1 &lt; Fr &lt; 1.7 denotes wavy IHJ and Fr &lt; 1 represents no IHJ. The greater canyon angle, collapse depth and amplitude of the incident wave more easily generate IHJs, which can lead to more energy loss, greater vorticity and turbulence intensity in the canyon area. Among all canyon cases, vorticity and turbulence intensity of the no IHJ case showing an obvious bimodal distribution are smaller than IHJ cases. For wavy IHJ, the energy dissipation is not obvious, and the average turbulent intensity performs a “sharp unimodal distribution”. Complete IHJ cases last for a long time and cause violent mixing, the average turbulent intensity is the largest and its distribution presents a “gentle single peak” pattern. For the 180° conditions (no canyon cases), less energy is delivered to the reflected wave and more energy is dissipated near the terrain, so the energy loss is the largest in comparison to other conditions. These findings will deepen our understanding of the evolution mechanisms of ISWs propagating over submarine canyons.

On the dynamics of buoyant jets in a linearly stratified ambient

We report mean flow and turbulence characteristics of a buoyant jet evolving in a linearly stratified ambient with stratification strength N=0.4 s−1. The velocity and density fields are captured experimentally using simultaneous particle image velocimetry and planar laser-induced fluorescence technique. We report our findings by strategically choosing four axial locations such that it covers different flow regimes; namely, momentum-dominated region, buoyancy-dominated region, neutral buoyant layer, and plume cap region. The results at these axial locations are presented as a function of the radial co-ordinate to provide a whole field picture of the flow dynamics. From the mean axial velocity and density fields, it is seen that the velocity and the scalar (density) widths are of the same magnitude in the momentum-dominated region but show significant difference in the buoyancy-dominated region and beyond. It is also seen that the axial velocity for the buoyant jet is consistently higher than pure jet at different axial locations due to buoyancy-aided momentum. With the help of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) budget analysis, it is seen that the shear production (P) and TKE dissipation (ϵ) for a buoyant jet are higher compared to the case of pure jet at different axial locations, cementing the role of buoyancy and stratification on the flow dynamics. Further, it is observed that the buoyancy flux (B) aids and destroys TKE intermittently in the radial direction, and it is at least O(102) smaller than P, ϵ, and the mean flow buoyancy flux (F). Finally, the relative strength of the turbulent transport of momentum to that of scalar in the radial direction is quantified using the turbulent Prandtl number, Prt. It is seen that Prt ≈1 upto the neutral buoyant layer and ≈ 0.6 in the plume cap region. The current set of results obtained from experiments are first of its kind and elucidates various aspects of the flow which hitherto remained unknown and will also prove to be useful in testing numerical simulations for buoyancy-driven flows.

Distribution characteristics of a supercritical hydrocarbon fuel jet injected into a high-speed crossflow

The mixing process and distribution characteristics of a supercritical endothermic hydrocarbon fuel (EHF) jet injected into a high-speed crossflow are investigated experimentally by the acetone Planar Laser-induced Fluorescence (PLIF) technique. The instantaneous and averaged distribution of supercritical fuel in the central plane and the cross-sectional planes with various Mach numbers, injection pressure, and temperature are measured and analyzed. A three-species surrogate is employed to calculate the flow parameters of the EHF jet. The boundary and penetration depth of the jet plume are identified by the probability density method. The mixing process of the supercritical fuel is analyzed using the fluorescence concentration distribution. Results show that the momentum flux of the EHF jet increases with the increase of injection temperature when the injection pressure is close to the critical pressure, while it decreases firstly and then increases as the injection pressure is larger than the critical pressure. The penetration depth is dominated by the jet-to-air momentum flux ratio (q), and the EHF jet plume boundary is enlarged with the increase of the q. In particular, the penetration depth formula is given in: y/d=0.67q0.97x/d0.29 for supersonic crossflow and y/d=0.15q0.57x/d0.60 for subsonic crossflow, respectively. The EHF jet plume with lower q presents a semi-circle shape in the cross-sectional plane and mainly expands in the width direction. While it mainly expands in height direction downstream as a semi-Omega shape in the larger q condition. The results indicate that the increase in injection temperature and pressure can enlarge the EHF jet plume distribution and enhance the mixing effect. In comparison, increasing the injection pressure obtain more significant benefits, providing a reference for the fuel supply system and injector design.

Ignition of an ionic liquid dual-mode monopropellant using a microwave plasma torch

The blend of hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) and imidazole-based ionic liquid has shown good feasibility in chemical and electric dual-mode green space propulsion. As conventional catalyst-driven ignition faces challenges arising from long preheat delay and catalyst failure, this work designs a novel ignition actuator using a microwave plasma torch. The precise tuning of the ¼-λ resonant cavity and improvement in the quality factor (QF) of the microwave igniter make the device efficient and thus allow the propellant to be ignited at a power of approximately 100 W. In the present reduced test rig, the maximum fuel flow rate corresponds to 0.1 N chemical thrusters, and the plasma-assisted ignition is mainly attributed to thermal and kinetic effects. The temperature of the actuator and the plasma torch is investigated by infrared thermometry and spectral fitting of excited molecule nitrogen, respectively. First, the hot electrode tube helps evaporate water molecules and accelerate the liquid jet through rapid gas expansion. Then, the ionic liquid quickly decomposes to small species when the flow reaches the torch with a nitrogen vibrational temperature above 4000 K and rotational temperature above 2000 K. Meanwhile, the nonequilibrium plasma-excited species enhance the combustion of gaseous intermediates by direct impact dissociation, where the OH radical profile is visualized using the planar laser-induced fluorescence technique. In addition, the copper atoms released by plasma erosion are expected to exhibit a significant catalytic effect on ionic liquid decomposition, which is a critical step in controlling the overall reaction rate. It is also noted that such mild erosion does not affect the multi-start operations during the firing test that lasts for at least 30 min.

Effect of swirling addition on the liquid mixing performance in a T-jets mixer

Swirling addition to the stream is beneficial for the fluid mixing. This work aims to study the mixing process intensification in a conventional T-jets mixer by the swirling addition. After experimental verification by the planar laser-induced fluorescence technique, large eddy simulation with the dynamic kinetic energy sub-grid stress model is used to predict how the swirling strength (in terms of swirling number, S w ) and swirling directions affect the mixing performance, e.g . the tracer concentration distribution, mixing time, and turbulent characteristics in the T-jets mixers. Predictions show that the swirling strength is the key factor affecting the mixing efficiency of the process. The overall mixing time, τ 90 , can be significantly reduced by increasing S w . Vortex analysis shows that more turbulent eddies appear in the collision zone and the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate increases obviously with the swirling addition. When S w is kept constant, the mixing process can be accelerated and intensified by adding swirling to only one stream, to both streams with the opposite swirling directions, or to both streams with the same swirling directions. Amplification of the mixing process by enlarging the mixer size or increasing the flow rates is also optimized. Thus, this work provides a new strategy to improve the mixing performance of the traditional T-jets mixers by the swirling addition.

Dilution characteristics of dual buoyant jets in wavy cross-flow environment

Due to the difference in density between the discharge effluent and coastal water, partially treated wastewater is often discharged into the marine environment as a buoyant jet via submarine outfalls with multiport diffusers. The dilution characteristics of effluent discharge (dual buoyant jets) in a wavy cross-flow environment were studied in a laboratory. The planar laser-induced fluorescence technique was used to obtain the concentration data of the jets. The effects of different environmental variables on the diffusion and dilution characteristics of the jets were examined through physical experiments, dimensional analysis, and empirical formulations. It was found that the dilution process of the dual jets could be divided into two components: the original jet component and the effluent cloud component. The jet-to-current velocity ratio was the main parameter affecting the concentration levels of the effluent cloud. The merging of the two jets increased the jet concentration in the flow field. When the jets traveled further downstream, the axial dilution increased gradually and then increased significantly along the axis. Under the effects of strong waves, the concentration contours branched into two peaks, and the mean dilution became more significant than under the effects of weak waves. Therefore, the dilution of the effluent discharge was expected to be significant under strong wave effects because the hydrodynamic force increased. A dilution equation was derived to improve our understanding of the dilution process of buoyant jets in a wavy cross-flow environment. This equation was used to determine the influences of the jet-to-current velocity ratio, wave-to-current velocity ratio, and Strouhal number on the minimum jet dilution. It revealed that the wave and buoyancy effects in effluent discharges were significant.

Planar laser-induced imaging of CH3 for high resolution single-shot reaction-zone visualization in premixed methane/air flames over broad stoichiometric ratios

We report a novel approach for single-shot planar imaging of CH3 radicals in premixed methane and air flames. A 213 nm beam from the 5th harmonic of an Nd:YAG laser was resonantly absorbed by the CH3 radicals, which were excited to the highly pre-dissociative upper level and dissociated to H2 and CH (X), as the main dissociation channel. The CH radicals were consequently excited by a 388 nm beam from an alexandrite laser, and the fluorescence from the excited CH radicals was collected off-resonant at 431 nm. Using this Photo-Fragmentation Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PF-PLIF) technique, instantaneous flame front structures, represented by CH3 radicals, can be visualized with high spatial resolution over a broad range of stoichiometric ratios. Signal-to-noise ratios up to 50 were observed for premixed methane/air flame with stoichiometric ratio as low as 0.26. The CH radicals naturally presented in flame front are more than 400 times lower in concentration than the CH3 radicals in premixed methane/air flames even at the conditions close to stoichiometric or slightly fuel rich cases where the highest CH concentrations exist, and the CH3/CH concentration ratios increase dramatically moving towards fuel lean conditions. By adopting a structured illumination of the 213 nm pump beam, the naturally presented CH radicals were visualized simultaneously with CH3 at slightly fuel rich laminar flames, where the CH signal intensity was 5 times lower than that from CH3. The results indicate that the CH3 PF-PLIF technique can provide much stronger signal than the CH PLIF and presented a much promising potential for applications in fuel-lean flames. Finally, the CH3 PF-PLIF was performed in premixed turbulent flames to demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for flame front visualization in turbulent premixed flames.