Opening of the burke-schumann flame tip and the effects of curvature on diffusion flame extinction

H. G. Im*, C. K. Law, R. L. Axelbaum

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Effects of flame curvature on diffusion flame extinction have been studied via the model problem of the opening of the Burke-Schumann flame tip. Asymptotic analysis of the flame structure in the tip region shows that increasing the extent of the flame curvature facilitates near-complete reaction and theraby enhances the burning intensity. Consequently, for unity Lewis number flames, increases in the flow velocity tend to inhibit tip opening because of the corresponding decrease in the radius of the flame tip. Expermental results using nearunity Lewis number acetylene/air flames agree with the predicted flame geometry and its inability to achieve tip opening. Tip opening, however, can be achieved by using a sub-unity Lewis number fuel stream of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, which causes a general lowering of flame temperature in the entire flame tip region. Further experiments then confirm the theoretical result that negative stretch, in the form of compressive flame curvature, promotes burning and thereby retards extinction.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)551-558
Number of pages8
JournalSymposium (International) on Combustion
Volume23
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1991
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemical Engineering
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

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