Laboratory Studies of Carbon Formation in Fuel-Rich Flames at High Pressures

Abstract

Experimental studies are described in which continuous flow model flames of uniform composition are used to examine the effects of the individual variation of the main combustion parameters on flame composition and radiation. A detailed description is given of the chemical and physical behaviour of rich, high-pressure hydrocarbon–air flames and comparison is made with the results of previous work at N.G.T.E. on small premixed flames of C₅ and C₆ hydrocarbons and on the constant volume combustion of rich methane–oxygen mixtures. It is shown that there is considerable similarity between the combustion processes in the modern gas turbine and the diesel engine and that conclusions which are important in diesel engine combustion can be drawn from continuous flow experiments of this kind.