Temperature Measurements in an Ethylene-Air-Opposed Flow Diffusion Flame

Abstract : To support the advancement of chemical kinetic models for soot, temperature measurements were conducted on an ethylene (C2H4)/air-opposed flow diffusion flame at atmospheric pressure. This detailed study compares temperature measurements acquired from a single high-speed color camera optical pyrometer to thermocouple measurements and Cantera simulations for opposed flow diffusion flames. Unlike thermocouples, optical pyrometry provides a nonintrusive technique to experimentally measure flame temperature. A soot surface temperature of approx. 2000 K at a flame position approx. 2 mm above the fuel duct was acquired from the optical pyrometer. A maximum centerline flame temperature of 1898 K at 3.70 mm above the fuel duct was obtained from the thermocouple measurements. In addition, chemical kinetic modeling was conducted with Cantera and results predicted intermediate species produced during combustion and a maximum centerline flame temperature of 2077 K at 3.79 mm from the fuel duct. The results presented in this report can be used to validate and refine chemical kinetic models for soot, which ultimately can lead to advanced power-generating systems.