Shapes of Elliptic Methane Laminar Jet Diffusion Flames

Buoyant and nonbuoyant shapes of methane flames issued from a 2:1 aspect ratio elliptic tube burner were measured. Nonbuoyant conditions were obtained in the KC-135 microgravity research aircraft operated by NASA’s Johnson Space Center. A mathematical model based on the extended Burke-Schumann flame theory is developed to predict the flame length of an elliptic burner. The model utilizes Roper’s theoretical method for circular burners and extends the analysis for elliptic burners. The predicted flame length using the theoretical model agrees well with experimental measurements. In general for the elliptic burner the nonbuoyant flames are longer than the buoyant flames. However, measured lengths of both buoyant and nonbuoyant flame lengths change proportionally with the volumetric fuel flow rate and support the L vs Q correlation. The maximum flame width measured at buoyant and nonbuoyant conditions also show a proportional relation with the volumetric fuel flow rate. Normalized buoyant and nonbuoyant flame lengths of the elliptic burner correlate (L∕d∝Re) with the jet exit Reynolds number and exhibit a higher slope compared to a circular burner. Normalized flame width data show a power correlation (w∕d=cFrn) with the jet exit Froude number.