The auto-ignition of a pulsed methane jet issuing into a coaxial laminar coflow of hot exhaust gas from a lean premixed hydrogen/air flat flame has been studied experimentally by means of high-speed optical diagnostics. The downstream location of the first auto-ignition kernel as well as the stabilization height of the steady-state lifted jet flame and the auto-ignition time were determined by OH* chemiluminescence (CL) measurements. OH planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) was used to determine further details of the auto-ignition with a higher spatial resolution and increased sensitivity. In order to three-dimensionally reconstruct the ignition kernel location in space and only include ignition kernels in the PLIF processing that first occurred inside the laser light sheet, broadband luminosity imaging from a viewing angle perpendicular to the PLIF and CL measurements was performed. The coflow temperature was varied in the temperature range between 1566 K and 1810 K in order to study the influence of the coflow temperature on the autoignition height, auto-ignition time, and on the lift-off height of the steady lifted jet flame. In addition, detailed model simulations were performed to study the influence of temperature and strain on auto-ignition in reacting mixing layers.

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The auto-ignition of a pulsed methane jet issuing into a laminar coflow of hot exhaust products of a lean premixed hydrogen/air flat flame was examined using high-speed laser and optical measurement techniques with frame rates of 5 kHz or more. OH* chemiluminescence was used to determine the downstream location of the first auto-ignition kernel as well as the stabilization height of the steady-state lifted jet flame. OH planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) was used to determine further details of the auto-ignition with a higher spatial resolution. Simultaneous imaging of broadband luminosity from a viewing angle perpendicular to the OH* chemiluminescence was applied to three-dimensionally reconstruct the ignition kernel location in space and to determine whether the first occurrence of the kernel was within or beyond the PLIF laser sheet. The development and expansion of the jet was characterized by high-speed Schlieren imaging. Statistics have been compiled for both the ignition time as well as the downstream location of the first auto-ignition kernel and the stabilization height of the steady-state lifted jet flame. From the PLIF images it was found that auto-ignition tended to occur at the interface between bulges of the inflowing jet and the coflow. For steady-state conditions, auto-ignition kernels were observed frequently below the flame base, emphasizing that the lifted jet flame is stabilized by auto-ignition.

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A liquid fuel combustor based on the FLOX® burner concept has been developed for application in a Micro Gas Turbine (MGT) Range Extender (REX) for next generation cars. The characterization of this combustor was performed at the High Pressure Optical Test rig (HIPOT) at DLR Stuttgart. The operability limits of the burner were mapped out for full load conditions at 3.5 bars by varying global lambda (λG) from 1.25–2.00 and bulk jet velocity (vBulk) from 80–140 m/s. Exhaust gas measurements show NOx and CO levels below 5 and 10 ppm respectively (corrected for reference 15% O2) at λG = 1.89. Optical and laser diagnostic measurement techniques have been employed to characterize the spray flames. The flames at stable burner operation points (BOPs) show a predominantly jet like flame shape irrespective of λG and vBulk. Droplets in the size range 2–40 μm have been measured close to the nozzle exit plane. Velocities conditioned on the droplet size show large droplets d > 15 μm transitioning from negative slip velocity at the exit plane to positive slip velocity at downstream location. The positive slip velocities and slow evaporation of large droplets lead to droplets travelling further into the combustion chamber and hence resulting in long flames. A comprehensive data set for the spray characteristic of the new liquid FLOX® burner is made available.

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Gas turbine (GT) flames at lean operating conditions are susceptible to instabilities that can lead to unsteady operation, flame extinction, and thermoacoustic oscillations. High speed (10 kHz) laser and optical diagnostic techniques have been used to investigate the effect of fuel staging on the mechanisms involved in such instabilities and the overall performance of a gas turbine model combustor. The GT burner used in this study consists of coaxial swirlers which allow for fuel staging capability, where the fuel is varied from 100% to 20% fuel injection in the inner swirler. The burner is equipped with a combustion chamber with large quartz windows, allowing for the application of optical and laser diagnostics. Simultaneous high speed OH Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) and OH* chemiluminescence (CL) imaging, exhaust gas sampling and acoustic measurements were applied to characterize the flames and determine the operability limits of the combustor. Methane air flames at atmospheric pressure have been investigated at a constant thermal power of 58 kW. The global equivalence ratio was kept constant, while the fuel staging was varied. The bulk flow velocity at the exit plane was kept constant at 20 m/s. Simultaneous high speed particle image velocity (PIV) and OH PLIF measurements were performed at a repetition rate of 10 kHz on specifically chosen flames with a fixed staging and equivalence ratio. This paper will present the flame and the flow field structure resolved using the kHz measurement technique. The interaction between the velocity field and the flame front marked by the OH LIF will be presented. The mean PIV image provides the location of the inner and outer recirculation zones. The flame structure presented in this paper will also show the effectiveness of fuel mixing as the staging is varied. The changes in flame shape with variation in fuel staging is determined using the OH* chemiluminescence images. As the fuel flow in the inner swirler is reduced, the NOx and CO emissions also reduce and reach a minimum at a staging of 45% fuel being injected in the inner swirler. As fuel injection in the outer swirler increases beyond 60% the NOx and CO emissions start also increasing.