Date of Award

3-11-2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

First Advisor

Carl R. Hartsfield, PhD.

Abstract

This research studied the mixing and combustion behavior of low Reynolds number, horizontally-issuing gaseous fuel jets with ambient air. The study focused on the mixing characteristics of propane and ethylene. These fuels are, respectively, heavy and neutral with respect to air, and were tested at various Froude numbers and laminar tube Reynolds numbers. Using low Froude and Reynolds number flows allowed for isolation of the buoyant jet effects. The process was characterized through the use of a non-invasive, OH Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) technique, and supplemented with filtered (CH*) and unfiltered high speed imaging. The resulting cross sectional PLIF images were used to produce a three-dimensional mapping of the jet spreading, jet path, and combustion progress through OH concentrations up to x/D = 9, for both fuels. Combustion locations were further visualized and confirmed through CH* high speed imaging.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GAE-ENY-11-M12

DTIC Accession Number

ADA540182

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