Development of a full-field planar Mie scattering technique for evaluating swirling mixers

A full-field planar optical diagnostic technique for studying mixing in swirling flows is described. Results were obtained using this technique to provide planar mixing information by seeding a simulated fuel stream with aluminum oxide particles, then inferring concentration from Mie scattering intensity distributions. This facility and measurement technique are unique for several reasons. First, they allow spatial variations in laser sheet energy to be corrected for on a shot-to-shot basis. Second, they allow experiments to be performed for swirlers with practical fuel and oxidizer flow rates, i.e. on the order of 150 g/s (0.33 lbm/s). Finally, they allow full size swirler models to be evaluated, with the entire exit plane imaged simultaneously. Representative results are presented as false color images of the planar mixing fields. These images allow rapid assessment of the mixing process and its changes with variations in operating conditions or swirler geometry.List of Symbols C seed particle concentration, m^–3 - mean component of seed particle concentration, m^–3 - C fluctuating component of seed particle concentration, m^–3 - C ^* time averaged ratio of rms particle concentration fluctuations to average particle concentration, dimensionless - d _p particle diameter, m - I laser energy after passing through the flow, J/m² - mean laser energy, J/m² - I ₀ laser energy before passing through the flow, J/m² - L _v eddy length scale, m - l laser beam path length, m - U _v eddy velocity scale, m/s - V diode voltage reading after passing through the flow, V - mean diode voltage, V - V ₀ diode voltage reading before passing through the flow, V - absorptivity, m² - _rel relative equivalence ratio, dimensionless - fluid viscosity, Ns - _p particle density, kg/m³ - Stokes number= _p / _f , dimensionless - _f flow time scale, s - _p particle response time, s