Combustion Structures in Lifted Ethanol Spray Flames

The development of a double flame structure in lifted ethanol spray flames is visualized using OH planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF). While the OH images indicate a single reaction zone exists without co-flow, the addition of low-speed co-flow facilitates the formation of a double flame structure that consists of two diverging flame fronts originating at the leading edge of the reaction zone. The outer reaction zone burns steadily in a diffusion mode, and the strained inner flame structure is characterized by both diffusion and partially premixed combustion exhibiting local extinction and re-ignition events.