Temperature measurements of binary droplets using three-color laser-induced fluorescence

Evaporation of multicomponent droplets is a critical problem in many engineering applications, for example spray combustion. Knowledge of droplet temperature is a key issue in understanding the highly complex heat and mass-transfer phenomena related to multicomponent droplet evaporation and combustion. In this work, optical diagnosis based on three color-laser-induced fluorescence was developed: the objective was to measure the temperature of binary droplets (ethanol and acetone mixtures), even when the composition varies with time. Demonstration on an overheated droplet stream of acetone–ethanol mixtures is described and the experimental data are compared with results from a numerical simulation based on the discrete-components model.     

Temperature measurements on droplets in monodisperse stream using laser-induced fluorescence

This paper presents a novel technique based on laser-induced fluorescence in liquids, allowing the temperature of 200-μm diameter monodisperse droplets to be measured. The droplets are seeded with an organic dye (rhodamine B), and the temperature dependence of the fluorescence quantum yield is used to determine temperature. The use of LDA optics and a single argon laser source allows to obtain an additional simultaneous velocity measurement. The method appears particularly interesting for the validation of numerical models of evaporating and combusting droplets in the field of design of the combustion chambers of aeronautical and automotive engines, where fuel is injected in droplet form. The measurement technique and data processing are extensively described in the paper. The method is demonstrated on a heated monodisperse droplet stream: the temperature and velocity distribution along the jet were determined. Received: 28 May 1999/Accepted: 13 December 1999     

Simultaneous imaging of temperature and mole fraction using acetone planar laser-induced fluorescence

Imaging of concentration with acetone PLIF has become popular in mixing investigations. More recently, studies of the temperature dependences of acetone fluorescence have enabled quantitative imaging of temperature using single- or dual-wavelength excitation strategies. We present here the first demonstration of simultaneous imaging of temperature and mole fraction with acetone PLIF. Laser excitation is at 248 and 308 nm; the resulting fluorescence images are captured by an interline transfer CCD camera capable of acquiring two frames with a separation in time of as little as 500 ns. In addition to adding temperature imaging capability, this dual-wavelength approach enables mole fraction to be accurately measured in non-isothermal flows. Tests in a heated turbulent jet demonstrate the ability to record instantaneous mole fraction and temperature structure. The expected correspondence of the temperature and concentration fields is observed, and mean values of these quantities derived from image averaging show the expected radial and centerline profiles as the jet becomes fully developed. Received: 13 January 1999/Accepted 10 February 2000     

Evaluation of temperature gradients within combusting droplets in linear stream using two colors laser-induced fluorescence

The scope of this paper concerns the heating process of fuel droplets injected in a hot gaseous environment. The two colors laser-induced fluorescence technique allows measuring the temperature distribution within a droplet by scanning the droplet volume by a sufficiently small probe volume compared to the droplet volume itself. The temperature field is reconstructed using two approaches which have been compared. One is based on a geometrical optics model and the other is based on the 3D calculation of the internal excitation field within the droplet, using the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory. Experimental results have been obtained on a combusting monodisperse ethanol droplet stream (diameter around 200 m).     

Measurement of the temperature distribution within monodisperse combusting droplets in linear streams using two-color laser-induced fluorescence

Two-color laser-induced fluorescence can be use to perform space-averaged flying droplet temperature measurements. In this paper, the possibility to extend this technique to the measurement of the temperature distribution within a moving combusting droplet is considered and demonstrated. This technique may provide new experimental data related to the heat diffusion in liquid fuel droplets injected in high-temperature gas streams, for example, in combustion chambers. The main principles of the technique and the data reduction process are discussed, and a test on combusting a monodisperse ethanol droplets (200 m in diameter) stream is presented.Nomenclature a _i , b _i temperature sensitivity coefficients for i th spectral band - C molecular concentration of fluorescent tracer - D droplet diameter - I ₀ incident laser beam intensity - I _f fluorescence intensity - K _opt optical constant - K _spec spectroscopic constant - V _c collection volume - R _f fluorescence ratio - T absolute temperature - T _i injection temperature - V _i injection velocity - ( x, y , z) spatial coordinates Greek symbols temperature sensitivity coefficient     

Quantitative temperature imaging in gas-phase turbulent thermal convection by laser-induced fluorescence of acetone

In this paper, an acetone planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique for nonintrusive temperature imaging is demonstrated in gas-phase (Pr = 0.72) turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection at Rayleigh number Ra = 1.3᎒⁵. The PLIF technique provides quantitative spatially correlated temperature data without the flow intrusion or time lag associated with physical probes, and without the significant path averaging that plagues most optical heat-transfer diagnostic tools, such as the Mach-Zehnder interferometer, thus making PLIF an attractive choice for quantitative thermal imaging in easily perturbed, complex three-dimensional flow fields. The "instantaneous" (20-ns integration time) thermal images presented have a spatial resolution of 176쐀아 µm and a single-pulse temperature measurement precision of - 2.5 K, or 2.5% of the total temperature difference. These images represent a two-dimensional slice through a complex three-dimensional flow, allowing for thermal structure of the turbulence to be quantified. Statistics such as the horizontally averaged temperature profile, root-mean square (rms) temperature fluctuation, two-point spatial correlations, and conditionally averaged plume structures are computed from an ensemble of 100 temperature images. The profiles of the mean temperature and rms temperature fluctuation are in good agreement with previously published data, and the results obtained from the two-point spatial correlations and conditionally averaged temperature fields show the importance of large-scale coherent structures in this turbulent flow.     

Visualizing near-surface concentration fluctuations using laser-induced fluorescence

A method for observing near-surface fluctuations in pH caused by a water–air flux of carbon dioxide under conditions of ambient atmospheric carbon dioxide levels is developed and tested. Peaks in fluorescence intensity measured as a function of pH and turbulence are shown to be consistent with predictions from a chemical kinetics model of CO₂ exchange. The square root of the frequency of the pH fluctuations scale linearly with independently measured bulk air–water gas transfer velocities in agreement with surface divergence models for air–water gas transfer. These data indicate that the method proposed here is tracking changes in near-surface CO₂ concentrations. This laser-induced fluorescence method can be used to study the air–water exchange of CO₂ in wind-wave tunnels without the need for elevated CO₂ concentrations in the gas phase.     

A combined OH/acetone planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging technique for visualizing combusting flows

A combined OH/acetone planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) imaging technique that provides simultaneous visualizations of regions of unburned fuel and of combustion in a reacting flow is described. OH marks the location of chemical reaction and of combustion products, and acetone vapor, which is seeded into the fuel stream, marks unburned fuel. A single pulse from an ultraviolet laser is used to simultaneously excite both the OH and acetone, and the fluorescence from each is detected on separate cameras. Acetone spectroscopy and chemistry are reviewed to provide a basis for interpreting acetone fluorescence signals in high-temperature combusting environments. The imaging technique is applied to two nonpremixed turbulent reacting flows to assess the utility of the technique for visualizing the instantaneous flow structure and to illustrate the dependence of the interpretation of the acetone PLIF images on the flow conditions.Support was provided for this work by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Aerospace Sciences Directorate, with Julian Tishkoff as Technical Monitor, and is gratefully acknowledged. The contributions of Mr. T. C. Island in operating the supersonic flow facility are also greatly appreciated.     

Simultaneous measurement of temperature and fuel mole fraction using acetone planar induced fluorescence and Rayleigh scattering in stratified flames

The use of acetone as a tracer for planar laser induced of fluorescence (PLIF) measurements is very popular both for mixing investigations and for premixed or partially premixed combustion systems when evaluating the local mixture fraction (or equivalence ratio) in the fresh gases. The local structure of a flame front can be investigated by using Rayleigh scattering, and this technique has been quite frequently used in combustion. We present here an application of simultaneous imaging of temperature and fuel mole fraction with both acetone PLIF and Rayleigh scattering techniques. The strong influence of temperature on fluorescence signals can be corrected if the local temperature is known. Simultaneously, the contribution of the acetone Rayleigh cross-section can be evaluated through the local value of acetone mole fraction. An iterative process enables the fuel mole fraction (in the limit of the preheat zone) and temperature fields to be obtained in a reactive configuration. The technique is limited by the maximum temperature that can be corrected and by the tracer specificities. Tests in laminar homogeneous stabilized flames and in stratified stabilized flames demonstrate the ability to record the instantaneous flame structure and fuel mole fraction field. Finally, the paper presents correlations of the local flame thickness with the local methane mole fraction, which underline the strong influence of large scales of the equivalence ratio on the local flame structure.     

A laser-induced fluorescence measurement for aqueous fluid flows with improved temperature sensitivity

This paper presents temperature-sensitive laser-induced fluorescence measurements of Fluorescein 27 dissolved in aqueous solutions. We show that Fluorescein 27, dissolved in water and excited by a 532-nm Nd:YAG laser pulse, yields improved temperature sensitivity over traditional organic dyes such as Rhodamine B. The high temperature sensitivity of Fluorescein 27 when excited at 532 nm is due primarily to a temperature-dependent shift of the absorption spectrum to longer wavelengths for increased temperatures. The linearity of the fluorescence signal with respect to the incident laser intensity and dye concentration is reported. In addition, Fluorescein 27 dissolved in an aqueous solution remains photo-stable for >10⁵ laser pulses at both ambient and high temperatures (T > 60°C) when excited with low-irradiance laser pulses. Finally, we demonstrate that using a dual tracer (or ratiometric) technique in which the fluorescence from Fluorescein 27 and another dye (e.g., Rhodamine B or Kiton Red 620) are detected following the 532 nm excitation results in a significantly enhanced temperature sensitivity over a single tracer measurement and previously reported dual tracer methods. Such temperature sensitivity is useful in multi-dimensional temperature imaging and temporally resolved measurements.

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Evaporating and combusting droplet temperature measurements using two-color laser-induced fluorescence

 The paper presents a new technique based on laser-induced fluorescence, allowing droplet temperature measurement of evaporating and combusting droplets to be performed. The liquid spray is seeded with a low concentration of rhodamine B. The fluorescence, induced by the green line of an argon laser, is measured on two separated color bands. It is demonstrated that two color bands can be selected for their strong difference in the temperature sensitivity of the fluorescence quantum yield. The determination of the fluorescence ratio between the fluorescence intensity corresponding to each color band allows the tracer concentration and the droplet size dependences to be eliminated. The technique was applied on a monodisperse spray: the effect of a thermal impulse on the distribution of the droplet temperature is studied and, the temperature of combusting droplets is investigated. Received: 16 June 2000/Accepted: 10 November 2000     

Mixing in a confined turbulent impinging jet using planar laser-induced fluorescence

 The non-intrusive Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) technique was applied to the study of the mixing of a turbulent water jet impinging orthogonally onto a flat surface. A procedure for calibrating the system at each pixel of a CCD camera array was first developed and tested. Post-processing of the PLIF data gave quantitative results of good quality. The mixing at the entrance of the deflection zone was also investigated. Average concentration fields in the centre plane of the jet were calculated and compared with Large Eddy Simulations (LES) and also with data from the literature. Probability density functions, space coefficients of correlation and radial concentration fluctuation profiles were calculated to further quantify the spreading of the jet, both in the free and deflection zones. Inside the deflection region, a slight tendency towards intensified mixing at the outer edge of the jet was found. This was attributed to a deceleration of the fluid which resulted in accelerated diffusion. Received: 11 July 1997 / Accepted: 9 January 1998     

Near-wall imaging using toluene-based planar laser-induced fluorescence in shock tube flow

A quantitative thermometry technique, based on planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), was applied to image temperature fields immediately next to walls in shock tube flows. Two types of near-wall flows were considered: the side wall thermal boundary layer behind an incident shock wave, and the end wall thermal layer behind a reflected shock wave. These thin layers are imaged with high spatial resolution (15μm/pixel) in conjunction with fused silica walls and near-UV bandpass filters to accurately measure fluorescence signal levels with minimal interferences from scatter and reflection at the wall surface. Nitrogen, hydrogen or argon gas were premixed with 1–12% toluene, the LIF tracer, and tested under various shock flow conditions. The measured pressures and temperatures ranged between 0.01 and 0.8 bar and 293 and 600 K, respectively. Temperature field measurements were found to be in good agreement with theoretical values calculated using 2-D laminar boundary layer and 1-D heat diffusion equations, respectively. In addition, PLIF images were taken at various time delays behind incident and reflected shock waves to observe the development of the side wall and end wall layers, respectively. The demonstrated diagnostic strategy can be used to accurately measure temperature to about 60 μm from the wall.     

Experimental characterization of thin films,droplets and rivulets using LED fluorescence

Imaging based on fluorescence has been used in the past to investigate, mostly in a qualitative manner, liquid films occurring in various applications. In the present paper, a simple quantitative experimental setup and the associated calibration procedure are detailed for a configuration involving Rhodamin B or Rhodamin 101 excited with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The measurement procedure has been first validated for an open-channel flow considering different Reynolds numbers around 550 and has then been applied to the characterization of thin films, isolated droplets and rivulets. Using this technique the film thickness, film velocity and contact angle have been evaluated accurately for a variety of flow conditions.     

Quantifying macro-mixing and micro-mixing in a static mixer using two-tracer laser-induced fluorescence

An experimental procedure has been developed to quantify mixing at large scales (flow-induced) and at small scales (induced by molecular diffusion). It relies on the simultaneous imaging of two different fluorescent tracers using planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF). In order to quantify micro-mixing, a suitable neutralization reaction involving the fluorescent tracer uranine has been identified. Using PLIF, uranine is measured simultaneously with another fluorescent tracer, pyridine 2, employed to characterize macro-mixing. Since both tracers are quite inexpensive, this procedure allows an in-depth characterization of mixing properties even in large installations, by measuring the concentration fields of the involved tracers in a non-intrusive manner. This measurement procedure has been applied to a static mixer segment with geometrical features and dimensions similar to that found in practical applications. Laminar inflow conditions are employed. The flow and mixing analysis obtained by post-processing the measurement results is detailed in the present article.     

Shock tunnel flow visualization using planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging of NO and OH

Temporal sequences of planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) images of several high-speed, transient flowfields created in a reflection-type shock tunnel facility were acquired. In each case, the test gas contained either nitric oxide or the hydroxyl radical, the fluorescent species. The processes of shock reflection from an endwall with a converging nozzle and of underexpanded free jet formation were examined. A comparison was also made between PLIF imaging and shadow photography. The investigation demonstrated some of the capabilities of PLIF imaging diagnostics in complex, transient, hypersonic flowfields, including those with combustion.Nomenclature A spontaneous emission rate - A _las cross sectional area of laser sheet - B laser absorption rate - C _opt constant dependent on optical arrangement, collection efficiency, etc. - D nozzle throat diameter - E _p laser pulse energy - f _J Boltzmann fraction of absorbing state - g spectral convolution of laser and absorption lineshapes - k Boltzmann constant - M _s incident shock Mach number - N noise, root-mean-square signal fluctuation - P static pressure - P ₁ initial pressure of test gas in shock tube - P _a free jet ambient pressure - P _s stagnation pressure - Q electronic quenching rate of excited state - S PLIF signal - t time between shock reflection and image acquisition - T static temperature - T _s stagnation temperature - _a mole fraction of absorbing species     

Quantitative imaging of concentration by planar laser-induced fluorescence

The planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique is attractive for instantaneous and non-intrusive imaging of species concentration in gaseous flows. This paper provides a framework for determining the experimental resolution in PLIF experiments and gives error estimates for concentration measurements in turbulent jet mixing experiments using biacetyl as the molecular tracer. The procedures to correct for experimental artifacts in the PLIF images are outlined. Images of the instantaneous, average, rms, and dissipation of concentration in a turbulent jet are presented.