Affiliations: Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing
Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU,
UK. Tel: +44(0)1509 227526/Fax: +44(0)1509 227704, E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract: Experimental data is presented for the interaction between a
propagating flame and a simple vortex flow field structure generated in the
wake of solid obstacles. The interaction between gas movement and obstacles
creates vortex shedding forming a simple flow field recirculation. The presence
of the simple turbulent structure within the gas mixture curls the flame front
increasing curvature and enhancing burning rate. A novel twin camera Particle
Image Velocimetry, PIV, was employed to characterise the flow field
recirculation and the interaction with the flame front. The technique allowed
the quantification of the flame/vortex interaction. The twin camera technique
provides data to define the spatial variation of both the velocity of the flow
field and flame front. Experimentally obtained values of local flame
displacement speed and flame stretch rate are presented for simple flame/vortex
interactions.