UNS: Composition-independent thermometry technique for gaseous combustion

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

1511216 (Narayanaswamy) A novel laser-based, accurate technique is proposed for measuring temperature in fuel burning devices, such as within an engine. The technique is of significance as precise knowledge of the temperature help design more energy-efficient devices with the potential to reduce pollutant emissions. The research will involve graduate students, while the outreach efforts will benefit K-12 education, especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. By adding a tracer amount of inert gas krypton to the combustion flow field, the PI proposes to develop a non-intrusive spectroscopic thermometry technique that has advantages over the other laser-based techniques developed so far. First and foremost, it does not require prior information about local chemical composition, as it is the dual fluorescence excitation of the argon species, rather than other reactive or intermediate species, that determines the local temperature. Second the proposed technique provides excellent temperature sensitivity across the combustion regime. Finally, it can be matured into a superior ground testing tool in large-scale facilities. A dual excitation fluorescence imaging leverages the Doppler and collisional broadening of the absorption spectrum to determine the temperature.