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NASA NTRS1999

Planar Strain-Rate-Free Diffusion Flames: Initiation, Properties, and Extinction

An effectively strain-rate-free diffusion flame constitutes the most vigorous laminar combustion of initially unmixed reactive gases. Such a diffusion flame is characterized by a relatively long residence time and by a relatively large characteristic length scale. If such a flame were also planar, providing high symmetry, it would be particularly suitable for experimental and theoretical investigations of key combustion phenomena, such as multicomponent diffusion, chemical kinetics, and soot inception, growth, and oxidation. Unfortunately, a planar strain-rate-free diffusion flame is highly disrupted in earth-gravity (e.g., in a counterflow-diffusion-flame apparatus) because of the very rapid onset (approx. 100 ms) of gravity-induced instability. Accordingly, a specially dedicated apparatus was designed, fabricated, and initially checked out for the examination of a planar strain-rate-free diffusion flame in microgravity. Such a diffusion flame may be formed within a hollowed-out squat container (initially configured as 25 cm x 25 cm x 9 cm), with isothermal, noncatalytic, impervious walls. At test initiation, a thin metallic sheet (approx. 1 mm in thickness) that separates the internal volume into two equal portions, each of dimensions 25 cm x 25 cm x 4.5 cm, is withdrawn, by uniform translation (approx. 50 cm/s) in its own plane, through a tightly fitting slit in one side wall. Thereupon, diluted fuel vapor (initially confined to one half-volume of the container) gains access to diluted oxygen (initially with the same pressure, density, and temperature as the fuel, but initially confined to the other half-volume). After a brief delay (approx. 10 ms), to permit limited but sufficient-for-flammability diffusional interpenetration of fuel vapor and oxidizer, burning is initiated by discharge of a line igniter, located along that side wall from which the trailing edge of the separator withdraws. The ignition spawns a triple-flame propagation across the 25 cm x 25 cm centerplane. When a diffusion flame is emplaced in the centerplane, any subsequent travel, and change in temperature, of that planar diffusion flame may be tracked, along with the effectively spatially uniform but temporally evolving pressure within the container. Eventually, nearly complete depletion of the stoichiometrically deficient reactant, along with heat loss to the container surfaces, effects extinction. These data afford an opportunity to check theoretical models of diffusion and chemical kinetics under conditions ranging from intense burning to flame out, or, alternatively, to evolve simple empirical representations of these phenomena. Thus, the project sought to utilize microgravity testing to elucidate commonly encountered phenomenology, arising in the commonly-encountered mode of combustion (whether related to heating, manufacturing, boiling, and propulsion, or to uncontrolled, free-burning fire in structures and wildland vegetation), of those commonly utilized fuels usually categorized as gaseous fuels (such as hydrogen, natural gas, and propane, which are gaseous under atmospheric conditions).

Fendell, Francis↗

NASA NTRS2001

Upward Flame Spread Over Thin Solids in Partial Gravity

The effects of partial-gravity, reduced pressure, and sample width on upward flame spread over a thin cellulose fuel were studied experimentally and the results were compared to a numerical flame spread simulation. Fuel samples 1-cm, 2-cm, and 4-cm wide were burned in air at reduced pressures of 0.2 to 0.4 atmospheres in simulated gravity environments of 0.1-G, 0.16-G (Lunar), and 0.38-G (Martian) onboard the NASA KC-135 aircraft and in normal-gravity tests. Observed steady flame propagation speeds and pyrolysis lengths were approximately proportional to the gravity level. Flames spread more quickly and were longer with the wider samples and the variations with gravity and pressure increased with sample width. A numerical simulation of upward flame spread was developed including three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations, one-step Arrhenius kinetics for the gas phase flame and for the solid surface decomposition, and a fuel-surface radiative loss. The model provides detailed structure of flame temperatures, the flow field interactions with the flame, and the solid fuel mass disappearance. The simulation agrees with experimental flame spread rates and their dependence on gravity level but predicts a wider flammable region than found by experiment. Some unique three-dimensional flame features are demonstrated in the model results.

Feier, I. I.↗

NASA NTRS2009

Space Systems - Safety and Compatibility of Materials - Method to Determine the Flammability Thresholds of Materials

Spacecraft fire safety emphasizes fire prevention, which is achieved primarily through the use of fire-resistant materials. Materials selection for spacecraft is based on conventional flammability acceptance tests, along with prescribed quantity limitations and configuration control for items that are non-pass or questionable. ISO 14624-1 and -2 are the major methods used to evaluate flammability of polymeric materials intended for use in the habitable environments of spacecraft. The methods are upward flame-propagation tests initiated in static environments and using a well-defined igniter flame at the bottom of the sample. The tests are conducted in the most severe flaming combustion environment expected in the spacecraft. The pass/fail test logic of ISO 14624-1 and -2 does not allow a quantitative comparison with reduced gravity or microgravity test results; therefore their use is limited, and possibilities for in-depth theoretical analyses and realistic estimates of spacecraft fire extinguishment requirements are practically eliminated. To better understand the applicability of laboratory test data to actual spacecraft environments, a modified ISO 14624 protocol has been proposed that, as an alternative to qualifying materials as pass/fail in the worst-expected environments, measures the actual upward flammability limit for the material. A working group established by NASA to provide recommendations for exploration spacecraft internal atmospheres realized the importance of correlating laboratory data with real-life environments and recommended NASA to develop a flammability threshold test method. The working group indicated that for the Constellation Program, the flammability threshold information will allow NASA to identify materials with increased flammability risk from oxygen concentration and total pressure changes, minimize potential impacts, and allow for development of sound requirements for new spacecraft and extravehicular landers and habitats. Furthermore, recent research has shown that current normal gravity materials flammability tests do not correlate with flammability in ventilated, micro- or reduced-gravity conditions. Currently, the materials selection for spacecraft is based on the assumption of commonality between ground flammability test results and spacecraft environments, which does not appear to be valid. Materials flammability threshold data acquired in normal gravity can be correlated with data obtained in microgravity or reduced-gravity experiments, and consequently a more accurate assessment of the margin of safety of the material in the real environment can be made. In addition, the method allows the option of selecting better or best space system materials, as opposed to what would be considered just acceptable from a flammability point of view and realistic assessment of spacecraft fire extinguishment needs, which could result in significant weight savings. The knowledge afforded by this technique allows for limited extrapolations of flammability behavior to conditions not specifically tested and that could potentially result in significant cost and time savings. The intent of this Technical Specification is to bring to the attention of International Aerospace Community the importance of correlating laboratory test data with real-life space systems applications. The method presented is just one of the possibilities that are believed will lead to better understanding the applicability of laboratory aerospace materials flammability test data. International feedback on improving the proposed method, as well as suggestions for correlating other laboratory aerospace test data with real-life applications relevant to space systems are being sought.

Hirsch, David↗

NASA NTRS1990

Geometry of premixed flames in three-dimensional turbulence

Constant density premixed flame propagation in three dimensional Navier-Stokes turbulence has been simulated. The zero-thickness flame model of Kerstein has been used. There are two aspects to this study: (1) adjustment of the large-scale strain rate in order to achieve a constant energy system; and (2) determination of flame curvature. The sampled distribution of curvature indicates that in most cases the flame has a cylindrical shape, with one curvature at least three times larger than the other. This implies that realistic chemical reactions in a flame-vortex interaction may be simulated in two dimensions.

Ashurst, William T.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Unsteady planar diffusion flames: Ignition, travel, burnout

In microgravity, a thin planar diffusion flame is created and thenceforth travels so that the flame is situated at all times at an interface at which the hydrogen and oxygen meet in stoichiometric proportion. If the initial amount of hydrogen is deficient relative to the initial amount of oxygen, then the planar flame will travel further and further into the half volume initially containing hydrogen, until the hydrogen is (virtually) fully depleted. Of course, when the amount of residual hydrogen becomes small, the diffusion flame is neither vigorous nor thin; in practice, the flame is extinguished before the hydrogen is fully depleted, owing to the finite rate of the actual chemical-kinetic mechanism. The rate of travel of the hydrogen-air diffusion flame is much slower than the rate of laminar flame propagation through a hydrogen-air mixture. This slow travel facilitates diagnostic detection of the flame position as a function of time, but the slow travel also means that the time to burnout (extinction) probably far exceeds the testing time (typically, a few seconds) available in earth-sited facilities for microgravity-environment experiments. We undertake an analysis to predict (1) the position and temperature of the diffusion flame as a function of time, (2) the time at which extinction of the diffusion flame occurs, and (3) the thickness of quench layers formed on side walls (i.e., on lateral boundaries, with normal vectors parallel to the diffusion-flame plane), and whether, prior to extinction, water vapor formed by burning will condense on these cold walls.

Fendell, F.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Unsteady Diffusion Flames: Ignition, Travel, and Burnout (SUBCORE Project: Simplified Unsteady Burning of Contained Reactants)

An experimental apparatus for the examination of a planar, virtually strain-rate-free diffusion flame in microgravity has been designed and fabricated. Such a diffusion flame is characterized by relatively large spatial scale and high symmetry (to facilitate probing), and by relatively long fluid-residence time (to facilitate investigation of rates associated with sooting phenomena). Within the squat rectangular apparatus, with impervious, noncatalytic isothermal walls of stainless steel, a thin metallic splitter plate subdivides the contents into half-volumes. One half-volume initially contains fuel vapor diluted with an inert gas, and the other, oxidizer diluted with another inert gas-so that the two domains have equal pressure, density, and temperature. As the separator is removed, by translation in its own plane, through a tightly fitting slit in one side wall, a line ignitor in the opposite side wall initiates a triple-flame propagation across the narrow layer of combustible mixture formed near midheight in the chamber. The planar diffusion flame so emplaced is quickly disrupted in earth gravity. In microgravity, the planar flame persists, and travels ultimately into the half-volume containing the stoichiometrically deficient reactant; the flame eventually becomes extinguished owing to reactant depletion and heat loss to the walls.

Fendell, Francis↗

NASA NTRS1989

Propagation of a premixed flame in a divided-chamber combustor

Experimental observations on the propagation of lean premixed ethylene-air flames in a divided-chamber combustion vessel have been compared with the results of numerical simulations based on a flame sheet-vortex dynamics model in axisymmetric coordinates. Flame speeds were found to increase from 10-24 cm/s as the equivalence ratio was varied from 0.5-0.65 in the experiments. Using the associated increase in gas velocity with equivalence ratio, the estimated Reynolds number in the experiment was changed from 1870 to 8090. Good agreement between experimental and theoretical results was obtained for the prechamber flame propagation rates and for the spatial and temporal development of the flame in the main combustion chamber at the lowest Reynolds number.

Cattolica, R. J.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Flame-Test Chamber

Experimental chamber provides controlled environment for observation and measurement of flames propagating in expanding plume of flammable air/fuel mixture under atmospheric conditions. Designed to evaluate quenching capability of screen-type flame arresters in atmospheric vents of fuel cargo tanks aboard marine cargo vessels.

Bjorklund, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Symposium /International/ on Combustion, 17th, Leeds University, Leeds, England, August 20-25, 1978, Proceedings

The Symposium focused on deflagration to detonation transition, coal combustion, turbulent-combustion interactions, kinetics, furnace combustion, inhibition and ignition, flame structure and chemistry, combustion studies, measurement techniques, fire and explosion, engine combustion, soot, and propellants and explosives. Papers were presented on numerical modeling of the deflagration-to-detonation transition, the interaction between turbulence and combustion, turbulent flame propagation in premixed gases, spray evaporation in recirculating flow, dissociation of nitric oxide in shock waves, pollutant emissions from partially mixed turbulent flames, energy transfer and quenching rates of laser-pumped electronically excited alkalis in flames, a study of flammability limits using counterflow flames, the unified theory of explosions with fuel consumption, and the dynamics and radiant intensity of large hydrogen flames.

Source record↗

NASA NTRS1946

Kinetics of Chemical Reactions in Flames

In part I of the paper the theory of flame propagation is developed along the lines followed by Frank-Kamenetsky and one of the writers. The development of chain processes in flames is considered. A basis is given for the application of the method of stationary concentrations to reactions in flames; reactions with branching chains are analyzed. The case of a diffusion coefficient different from the coefficient of temperature conductivity is considered.

Zeldovich, Y.↗

NASA NTRS1997

Soot Formation in Freely-Propagating Laminar Premixed Flames

Soot formation within hydrocarbon-fueled flames is an important unresolved problem of combustion science. Thus, the present study is considering soot formation in freely-propagating laminar premixed flames, exploiting the microgravity environment to simplify measurements at the high-pressure conditions of interest for many practical applications. The findings of the investigation are relevant to reducing emissions of soot and continuum radiation from combustion processes, to improving terrestrial and spacecraft fire safety, and to developing methods of computational combustion, among others. Laminar premixed flames are attractive for studying soot formation because they are simple one-dimensional flows that are computationally tractable for detailed numerical simulations. Nevertheless, studying soot-containing burner-stabilized laminar premixed flames is problematical: spatial resolution and residence times are limited at the pressures of interest for practical applications, flame structure is sensitive to minor burner construction details so that experimental reproducibility is not very good, consistent burner behavior over the lengthy test programs needed to measure soot formation properties is hard to achieve, and burners have poor durability. Fortunately, many of these problems are mitigated for soot-containing, freely-propagating laminar premixed flames. The present investigation seeks to extend work in this laboratory for various soot processes in flames by observing soot formation in freely-propagating laminar premixed flames. Measurements are being made at both Normal Gravity (NG) and MicroGravity (MG), using a short-drop free-fall facility to provide MG conditions.

Lin, K.-C.↗

NASA NTRS1984

An invariant derivation of flame stretch

The flame stretch factor is derived using an invariant formulation in a consistent manner. The derived generalized expression has two terms and completely describes the flame area evolution with its movement. One term represents the stretch due to the nonuniform tangential velocity field and the other represents the effect of the curvature of the propagating flame. The effect of curvature for stationary flames is implicitly included in the former term through variations of the tangential velocity. The flame sheet assumption, and thereby the stretch factor, are uniquely defined. Another expression is derived under the assumption that the tangential velocity of the flame equals the tangential component of the fluid velocity.

Chung, S. H.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Experimental investigation of piloted flameholders

Four configurations of piloted flameholders were tested. The range of flame stabilization, flame propagation, pressure oscillation during ignition, and pressure drop of the configurations were determined. Some tests showed a very strong effect of inlet flow velocity profile and flameholder geometry on flame stabilization. These tests led to the following conclusions. (1) The use of a piloted flameholder in the turbofan augmentor may minimize the peak pressure rise during ignition. At the present experimental conditions, delta P/P asterisk over 2 is less than 10 percent; therefore, the use of a piloted flameholder is a good method to realize soft ignition. (2) The geometry of the piloted flameholder and the amount of fuel injected into the flameholder have a strong effect on the pressure oscillation during ignition of the fuel-air mixture in the secondary zone. (3) Compared with the V-gutter flameholder with holes in its wall, the V-gutter flameholder without holes not only has advantages such as simple structure and good rigidity but offers a wide combustion stability limit and a high capability of igniting the fuel-air mixture of the secondary zone.

Guo, C. F.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Structure of Propagating and Attached Hydrocarbon Flames

Direct numerical simulations with C3-chemistry and radiative heat-loss models have been performed to reveal the internal structure of propagating and attached flames in an axisymmetric fuel jet of methane, ethane, ethylene, acetylene, or propane in air under normal and zero gravity. Observations of the flames were also made at the NASA Glenn 2.2-Second Drop Tower. In computations, the fuel issued into quasi-quiescent air for a fixed mixing time before it was ignited along the centerline at stoichiometry. The edge of the flame propagated through a flammable layer at the laminar flame speed of the stoichiometric fuel-air mixture independent of gravity. For all cases, a peak reactivity spot, i.e., reaction kernel, was formed in the flame base, thereby holding a trailing diffusion flame. The location of the reaction kernel in the attached flames depended inversely on the reactivity. The reaction-kernel correlations between the reactivity and the velocity were developed further using variables related to local Damkahler and Peclet numbers.

Takahashi, Fumiaki↗

NASA NTRS1990

The influence of Lewis number and nonhomogeneous mixture on premixed turbulent flame structure

The structure of a premixed flame front in two-dimensional turbulence is investigated using full numerical simulation including heat release, variable fluid properties, and one-step Arrhenius chemistry. Non-unity Lewis number (Le) effects are described by comparing the local instantaneous turbulent flame structure to the steady one dimensional laminar flame structure for the same thermochemical parameters. Flame surface area, mean reactant consumption rate per unit area of flame, turbulent flame speed, and statistical descriptions of the flame geometry are also reported. Principal findings are that the local flame structure correlates strongly with the local flame curvature, while global properties depend both on strain and on curvature. Preliminary results for cases with nonhomogeneous reactant mixture strength are reported. Here, the emphasis is on the ability of a propagating flame to recover after encountering a fuel-lean pocket in an otherwise homogeneous mixture. Both one dimensional and two dimensional cases are described.

Haworth, D. C.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Flame-Vortex Interactions Imaged in Microgravity - To Assess the Theory Flame Stretch

The goals of this research are to: 1) Assess the Theory of Flame Stretch by operating a unique flame-vortex experiment under microgravity conditions in the NASA Glenn 2.2 Second Drop Tower (drops to identify operating conditions have been completed); 2) Obtain high speed shadowgraph images (500-1000 frames/s) using the drop rig (images were obtained at one-g, and the NASA Kodak RO camera is being mounted on the drop rig); 3) Obtain shadowgraph and PIV images at 1-g while varying the effects of buoyancy by controlling the Froude number (completed); 4) Numerically model the inwardly-propagating spherical flame that is observed in the experiment using full chemistry and the RUN 1DL code (completed); 5) Send images of the flame shape to Dr. G. Patniak at NRL who is numerically simulating the entire flame-vortex interaction of the present experiment (data transfer completed); and 6) Assess the feasibility of obtaining PIV velocity field images in the drop rig, which would be useful (but not required) for our assessment of the Theory of Flame Stretch (PIV images were obtained at one-g using same low laser power that is available from fiber optic cable in drop tower). The motivation for the work is to obtain novel measurement needed to develop a physically accurate model of turbulent combustion that can help in the control of engine pollutants. The unique experiment allows, for the first time, the detailed study of a negatively-curved (negatively stretched) flame, which is one of the five fundamental types of premixed flames. While there have been studies of flat flames, positively-curved (outwardly-propagating) cases and positively-strained (counterflow) cases, this is the first detailed study of a negatively-curved (inwardly-propagating) flame. The first set of drops in the 2.2 Second Drop Tower showed that microgravity provides more favorable conditions for achieving inwardly-propagating flames (IPFs) than 1-g. A vortex interacts with a flame and creates a spherical pocket, which burns inwardly. Shadowgraphs at 1000 frames/sec quantify the Markstein number and flame speed. A Low-Laser Power PIV System was developed and is being added to the drop package. Numerical computations were required to explain why the Markstein numbers measured for the inwardly-propagating flames differ from those of outward propagating flames; this is an important research issue in the assessment of the Theory of Flame Stretch. The RUN-1DL code (developed by Prof. B. Rogg) was run for IPF and OPFs with complex methane and propane chemistry. Results confirmed that Ma for the IPFs are larger than for OPFs as was observed experimentally. Physical reasons for these new findings about the Theory of Flame Stretch are being determined from the experiments and the computations. Several journal papers have been published; the drop package is described in the AIAA Journal, while the one-g results appear in three other journal papers.

Driscoll, James F.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Combustion of Interacting Droplet Arrays in a Microgravity Environment

Investigations into droplet interactions date back to Rex et al. Annamalai and Ryan and Annamalai published extensive reviews of droplet array and cloud combustion studies. In the majority of the reviewed studies, the authors examined the change in the burning rate constant, k, (relative to that of the single droplet) that results from interactions. More recently, Niioka and co-workers have examined ignition and flame propagation along arrays of interacting droplets with the goal of relating these phenomena in this simplified geometry to the more practical spray configuration. Our work has focussed on droplet interactions under conditions where flame extinction occurs at a finite droplet diameter. In our previous work, we reported that in normal gravity, reduced pressure conditions, droplet interactions improved flame stability and extended flammability limits (by inference). In our recent work, we examine droplet interactions under conditions where the flame extinguishes at a finite droplet diameter in microgravity. The microgravity experiments were in the NASA GRC 2.2 and 5.2 second drop towers, and the JAMIC (Japan Microgravity Center) 10 second drop tower. We also present progress on a numerical model of single droplet combustion that is in the process of being extended to model a binary droplet array.

Dietrich, D. L.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Burning Velocity Measurements in Aluminum-Air Suspensions using Bunsen Type Dust Flames

Laminar burning velocity (sometimes also referred in literature as fundamental or normal flame propagation speed) is probably the most important combustion characteristic of the premixed combustible mixture. The majority of experimental data on burning velocities in gaseous mixtures was obtained with the help of the Bunsen conical flame. The Bunsen cone method was found to be sufficiently accurate for gaseous mixtures with burning velocities higher than 10-15 cm/s at normal pressure. Hans Cassel was the first to demonstrate that suspensions of micron-size solid fuel particles in a gaseous oxidizer can also form self-sustained Bunsen flames. He was able to stabilize Bunsen flames in a number of suspensions of different nonvolatile solid fuels (aluminum, carbon, and boron). Using the Bunsen cone method he estimated burning velocities in the premixed aluminum-air mixtures (particle size less than 10 microns) to be in the range of 30-40 cm/s. Cassel also found, that the burning velocity in dust clouds is a function of the burner diameter. In our recent work, we have used the Bunsen cone method to investigate dependence of burning velocity on dust concentration in fuel-rich aluminum dust clouds. Burning velocities in stoichiometric and fuel-rich aluminum dust suspensions with average particle sizes of about 5 microns were found to be in the range of 20-25 cm/s and largely independent on dust concentration. These results raise the question to what degree burning velocities derived from Bunsen flame specifically and other dust flame configurations in general, are indeed fundamental characteristics of the mixture and to what degree are they apparatus dependent. Dust flames in comparison to gas combustion, are thicker, may be influenced by radiation heat transfer in the flame front, respond differently to heat losses, and are fundamentally influenced by the particular flow configuration due to the particles inertia. Since characteristic spatial scales of dust flames are larger, one can expect that they will also be more sensitive than homogeneous combustion to a particular experimental geometric configuration of the flame and the flow. With such sensitivity the introduction of the very concept of the fundamental flame speed may be problematic for dust combustion. With this in mind, the objective of the present work is to further investigate Bunsen dust flames and evaluate to what degree burning velocities derived from Bunsen cone depend on experimental conditions (i.e. flow rate and nozzle diameter).

Lee, John↗