Experimental and numerical study of premixed flame flashback

Abstract The flashback of premixed flames in ducts is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. New experimental results, compatible with classical results on the subject, are presented. A minimal model for premixed flame propagation in a boundary layer is presented. The scales of the problem are derived from asymptotic considerations. Numerical results for the flame propagation velocity are given; in particular we give the critical condition for flashback. The numerical results are compared to a first experimental visualization of the flow around a tilted flame stabilized in a tube close to the flashback condition. The good qualitative and quantitative agreement between numerical simulations and experiments indicates that the model has captured the essential physical features.