Influence of edge velocity on flame front position and displacement speed in turbulent premixed combustion

Using a novel concept, the present study experimentally investigates underlying physics pertaining to statistics of the flame front position and the flame front velocity in turbulent premixed V-shaped flames. The concept is associated with characteristics of the reactants velocity at the vicinity of the flame front, referred to as the edge velocity. The experiments are performed using simultaneous Mie scattering and Particle Image Velocimetry techniques. Three mean streamwise exit velocities of: 4.0, 6.2, and 8.6 m/s along with three fuel–air equivalence ratios of: 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9 are examined. The results show that fluctuations of the flame front position and the flame front velocity are induced by the fluctuations of the component of the edge velocity transverse to the mean flow direction. Analysis of the results show that the mean of the flame front velocity in the normal direction to the flame front is significantly dependent on the vertical distance from the flame-holder. Relatively close to the flame-holder, the mean of the flame front velocity in the direction normal to the flame front is about zero; however, it increases to values several times larger than the laminar flame speed by increasing the vertical distance from the flame-holder.