Autoignition-controlled flame initiation and flame stabilization in a reacting jet in crossflow

Abstract This paper describes an analysis of the mechanisms of autoignition-controlled flame initiation and flame stabilization in a nonpremixed jet in crossflows, using simultaneous high-speed (10 kHz) tomographic particle image velocimetry, OH-PLIF and line-of-sight flame emissions. Measurements are conducted on a turbulent, transverse, reacting propane jet issued into a crossflow generated by combustion of natural gas at an equivalence ratio of 0.4 with the crossflow velocity of 10 m/s, the crossflow temperature of 1350 K and the jet momentum flux ratio of 41. While several prior studies have analyzed the lifted character of the flame in similar configurations, we show that several dynamic processes precede the leading edge of the lifted diffusion flame, including formation and evolution of “autoignition kernels”, “flame kernels” and “flame fragments”. “Autoignition kernels”, i.e., discrete compact reaction zones with the peak hydroxyl (OH) fluorescence intensity below that of the diffusion flame, initiate preferably at bulges along the jet periphery where the strain rates and the scalar dissipation rates are lower. The autoignition kernel grows in both size and the OH-fluorescence intensity as it convects downstream. An autoignition kernel transitions into a propagating flame kernel, which quickly gets distorted and elongated in the direction of the principal expansion strain rate to form a flame fragment. Neighboring flame fragments merge with each other and with the downstream diffusion flame via edge-flame propagation. Merging of upstream flame fragments with the downstream diffusion flame results in an upstream advancement of the diffusion-flame front. The diffusion flame front is intrinsically unsteady because of the rather random formation and evolution of autoignition kernels, flame kernels and flame fragments, presumably due to the stochastic velocity, the strain rate and mixture-fraction oscillations.