MODELING OF CONFINED AND UNCONFINED LAMINAR PREMIXED FLAMES ON SLIT AND TUBE BURNERS

Abstract
A model is presented for laminar premixed Bunsen flames on slit and cylindrical burners burning in a surrounding atmosphere. A comparison between modeling and experimental results shows that the model can reproduce the experimental results within 10% accuracy. The influence of a surrounding atmosphere and burner curvature on the flame shape, flow field and mass transport in 2D laminar premixed Bunsen flames is also investigated. It is found that flames on cylindrical burners confined between similar flames have a smaller flame length and flame tip curvature than flames on slit burners with comparable dimensions. These effects are caused by the larger available expansion space (in radial direction) for the cylindrical flames. Furthermore, it is shown that the flames in a surrounding atmosphere are less curved than flames confined between other flames; the curvature of the tip is also smaller. These effects are explained by the fact that the confining flames push the mass flow and the flame front towards the central axis. This in turn results in differences in flame length. The investigation gives more quantitative insight in the effect of a surrounding atmosphere and burner geometry on the transport of mass in premixed laminar flames.