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On the location of flame edge in Shadowgraph pictures of spherical flames: a theoretical and experimental study

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Abstract

In this paper, a theoretical model based on geometrical optics has been developed to analyze the light intensity pattern of Shadowgraph pictures of spherical flames. The theoretical results have been compared with experimental measurement of light intensity profiles across the flame front using commercially available image processing software. These results are in good agreement. The theory predicts that the sudden change of light intensity from dark to bright does not coincide with the flame edge unless the flame thickness is negligible. Experimental results agree very well with the theoretical predictions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Army Research Office, Grant number W911nf-01-1-0051 under technical monitoring of Dr. David Mann.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Room 31-168, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Farzan Parsinejad & James C. Keck

  2. Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Hameed Metghalchi

Authors
  1. Farzan Parsinejad
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  2. James C. Keck
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  3. Hameed Metghalchi
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Correspondence to Farzan Parsinejad.

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Parsinejad, F., Keck, J.C. & Metghalchi, H. On the location of flame edge in Shadowgraph pictures of spherical flames: a theoretical and experimental study. Exp Fluids 43, 887–894 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-007-0355-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-007-0355-6

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