• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.170-177
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• 2005

The fuel-lean premixed flame has been considered one of the most efficient ways to reduce $NO_X$ emission during a combustion process. However, it is difficult to achieve stable fuel-lean premixed flames over the wide range of equivalence ratios: therefore, the application of fuel-lean flames to a practical combustion system is rather limited. In this study, the stability characteristics of fuel-lean flames stabilized by fuel-rich flames are investigated experimentally using a slot burner as a part of the basic research for practical application such as lean burn engines. Spontaneous emission of radical species were examined to understand the stability mechanisms of rich-lean premixed flames. The presence of fuel-rich flames could significantly lower the lean limit of fuel-lean flames. The stability of a fuel-lean flame is enhanced with the increase of fuel flow rate in a fuel-rich flame; how ever, it is not sensitive to the equivalence ratio of fuel-rich flames in the range of 1.2-2.4. The mechanisms of stable rich-lean premixed flames could be understood based on the characteristics of triple flame.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.19-24
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• 2002

Recent studies of a triple flame suggested that the presence of triple point (triple line in this planar configuration) could explain the mechanisms of stable fuel-lean premixed flames with equivalence ratio lower than the flammability limit. In the present study, for better understanding of the stability mechanisms of fuel rich-lean premixed flames, the fuel-rich flames were replaced with hot coils that will provide heat flux into the fuel-lean flames. It is found that the fuel-lean premixed flames could be stabilized without any triple point (triple line): however, the equivalence ratio limit for stable fuel-lean flame in this case is higher than that of the present work with the presence of fuel-rich flames. These results demonstrate that heat flux coming from fuel-rich flames should be considered in order to properly understand the roll of a triple flame for stable fuel rich-lean flames.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.11-20
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• 2012

The Blow-off characteristics of LPG/air lean pre-mixed flames were experimentally investigated using a double and a multiple concentric coflow burners. Experiments were conducted to understand the effects of recirculation motion, thermal interaction between flames, and stratified flame configuration. Here, the stratified premixed flame is a "new concept" of a flame that sequentially contains fuel rich, stoichiometric, and fuel lean reaction zones in a flame. The blow-off from a lean premixed flame was significantly suppressed with recirculation motion. The recirculation motion by itself, however, was not sufficient to prevent the blow-off when the equivalence ratio became low. The existence of a inner premixed flame could also help to prevent the blow-off of lean premixed flame; however, the blow-off suppression effect was rather diminished by weakened recirculation motion with the presence of inner flame. The inner flame could be separated from an outer flame on a multiple concentric coflow burner, causing recirculation motion as well as thermal interaction between flames to become effective; therefore, the blow-off was further suppressed. The lean premixed flame could be stabilized with a fuel rich premixed flames that was produced with the supply of fuel through an inner nozzle. The penetration of lean premixed gas from outside into the fuel stream produced a lifted rich premixed flame. Chemiluminescence images of OH, CH, and $C_2$ radicals confirmed the structure of a stratified premixed flame. The stable premixed flames could be obtained at the very fuel lean condition by applying the stratified premixed flame concept.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.1372-1377
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• 2003

The stabilization of propane/air lean premixed flames by a heated cylindrical rod is investigated experimentally. The flame stability limits, heat flux, surface temperatures, equivalence ratios, and mixture velocities are measured in order to understand the role of heat flux or surface temperature on the flame stabilization of lean premixed flames. The flame stability limits are lowered by a heated cylindrical rod and extended even below the flammability limit of propane/air mixture when sufficient heat flux is provided. The flame stability limit decreases with the increase of heat flux or surface temperature and decreases with the higher mixture velocity. The diameter of cylindrical rod, however, dose not significantly affect the flame stability limit. The laminar flame speed has been measured for ultra lean propane/air premixed flames. The flame stabilization by a heated cylindrical rod provides the useful tool for the measurement of flame speed under very fuel-lean conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.8-17
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• 2016

Downstream interactions between lean premixed flames with mutually different fuels of syngas and $CH_4$ have been numerically investigated particularly on and near lean extinction limits. The interaction characteristics between lean premixed (50% $H_2$ + 50% CO)-air and $CH_4$-air flames were shown to be quite different from those between the same hydrocarbon flames. The lean extinction boundaries were of slanted shape, thereby implying strong interactions. The weaker flames had negative flame speeds on the upper extinction boundaries, whereas the weaker flame speeds on the lower extinction boundaries were both negative and positive. The results also showed that the flame interaction characteristics did not follow the general tendency with the dependency of Lewis number in downstream interactions between the same hydrocarbon flames. Importance of chemical interaction in flame characteristics is discussed in the downstream interactions between lean premixed (50% $H_2$ + 50% CO)-air and $CH_4$-air flames.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.97-103
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• 2001

The characteristics of flame stability have been studied experimentally using a slot burner. The blowout conditions of a fuel-lean premixed laminar flame, which is located in the middle of fuel-rich premixed laminar flames, are identified for propane, ethylene, and methane flames. The fuel-rich flames could stabilize the fuel-lean flame for the equivalence ratio as low as 0.2. The laminar flame speed along with the heat release rate is likely to be the important factor in stabilizing a fuel-lean flame. The increase of heat release rate on a fuel-rich flame lowers the equivalence ratio limit for the stable fuel-lean flames. The stability of fuel-lean flames, however, was not sensitive to the equivalence ratio of a fuel-rich flame.

• 한국연소학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2012.04a
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• pp.185-187
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• 2012

The characteristics of stratified co-flow flames have been investigated from the flame chemiluminescence images. The fuel lean premixed flame could be stabilized with a fuel rich premixed flames that is generated with the supply of fuel through the inner nozzle. The penetration of outer region lean premixture into the fuel stream produced a lifted rich premixed flame at the center. Chemiluminescence images of OH, CH, and $C_2$ radicals indicated that the way of stratification of fuel/air mixture under various operating conditions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.377-383
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• 1996

Interaction of flames in a lean-rich concentration field is studied numerically adopting a counterflow as a model problem. Detailed kinetic mechanism is adopted in analyzing the structure of various type of flames which can be found in lean-rich interaction. Flow field is simplified to quasi one-dimensional by using boundary layer approximation and similarity formulation. Triple flames are identified and its structure shows that a diffusion flame is located in the middle of two premixed flames. Such a diffusion flame is formed by $H_2$ and CO generated from the rich premixed flame and $O_2$ leaked from the lean premixed flame. The flame position can be identified either from the hydrogen production rate or the heat release rate. Transition from single diffusion flame to triple flame is observed as degree of premixing is increased.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.232-240
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• 1986

Extinction characteristics of the two interacting premixed flames are analyzed for the effects of flame stretch and preferential diffusion using large activation energy asymptotic analysis by adopting counterflow system as a model problem. Results show that the flammable limit of the thermally interacting premixed flames is extended compared to the single flame, and the extinction mechanism is classified into weak and strong interactions. As the lewis number of the deficient species increases, the region of strong interaction diminishes which can explain the different characteristics of the extinction boundaries of the lean (rich) methane/air and butane/air flames. The influence of the flame stretch to the interaction boundaries is also studied.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.44-52
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• 2013

Important role of chemical interaction in flame extinction was numerically investigated in downstream interaction among lean(rich) and lean(rich) premixed as well as partially premixed $H_2$-air and CO-air flames. The strain rate varied from 30 to $5917s^{-1}$ until interacting flame could not be sustained anymore. Flame stability diagrams mapping lower and upper limit fuel concentrations for flame extinction as a function of strain rate are presented. Highly stretched interacting flames were survived only within two islands in the flame stability map where partially premixed mixture consisted of rich $H_2$-air flame, extremely lean CO-air flame, and a diffusion flame. Further increase in strain rate finally converges to two points. Appreciable amount of hydrogen in the side of lean $H_2$-air flame also oxidized the CO penetrated from CO-air flame, and this reduced flame speed of the $H_2$-air flame, leading to flame extinction. At extremely high strain rates, interacting flames were survived only by a partially premixed flame such that it consisted of a very rich $H_2$-air flame, an extremely lean CO-air flame, and a diffusion flame. In such a situation, both the weaker $H_2$-air and CO-air flames were parasite on the stronger diffusion flame such that it could lead to flame extinction in the situation of weakening the stronger diffusion flame. Particular concerns are focused on important role of chemical interaction in flame extinction was also discussed in detail.