SOOT FORMATION IN LAMINAR INVERSE DIFFUSION FLAMES

Soot formation in laminar ethylene inverse diffusion flames has been investigated experimentally and modeled. Soot volume fraction and temperature measurements have been made and compared to numerical predictions using a soot formation model previously applied to normal diffusion flames. The inverse flame configuration serves as a good test of the applicability of the model and is relevant to practical combustor designs. Comparisons of the predictions and data show good agreement. The model reasonably predicts several features of the inverse flame, including flame length, the locations of soot-bearing regions of the flow, and the evolution of the soot volume fraction profile.