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Digital image analysis of a turbulent flame

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Abstract

Digital image analysis of cine pictures of an unconfined rich premixed turbulent flame has been used to determine structural characteristics of the turbulent/non-turbulent interface of the flame. The results, comprising various moments of the interface position, probability density functions and correlation functions, establish that the instantaneous flame-interface position is essentially a Gaussian random variable with a superimposed quasi-periodical component. The latter is ascribable to a pulsation caused by the convection and the stretching of ring vortices present within the flame. To a first approximation, the flame can be considered similar to a three-dimensional axisymmetric turbulent jet, with superimposed ring vortices, in which combustion occurs.

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Abbreviations

A :

amplitude (mm)

D :

burner inside diameter (mm)

F :

flatness factor

f :

frequency (Hz)

I :

indicator function

j :

frame number

k :

slit (column or row) number

N :

number of frames

p :

probability density function

R :

auto/cross-correlation (mm2)

Re :

Reynolds number

S :

skewness factor

St :

Strouhal number

s :

spread (mm)

T :

period (s) or sampling time (s)

t :

time (s)

U :

velocity (m/s)

u :

reference variable (mm)

V :

convection velocity (m/s)

v :

reference variable (mm)

w :

instantaneous generalized coordinate (mm)

X :

instantaneous streamwise interface position (mm)

x :

streamwise coordinate (mm)

Y :

instantaneous lateral interface position (mm)

y :

lateral coordinate (mm)

Z :

instantaneous generalized interface position (mm)

z :

Gaussian random variable

Δ :

difference

Δ :

time interval between movie frames (s)

α :

angle (degree)

ρ :

normalized auto/cross/correlation function

σ :

standard deviation (mm)

τ :

time lag (s)

ζ :

phase (radian)

l :

lower edge

o :

Gaussian component

s :

periodic component

t :

tip edge

u :

upper edge

1:

minimum value

2:

maximum value

′:

root-mean-square

-:

time-average

*:

threshold/reference value

References

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Zucherman, L., Kawall, J.G. & Keffer, J.F. Digital image analysis of a turbulent flame. Experiments in Fluids 6, 16–24 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00226130

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