Successive laser ablation ignition of premixed methane/air mixtures

Laser ablation has been used to study successive ignition in premixed methane/air mixtures under conditions in which the flow speed leads to flame blow-out. A range of laser pulse frequencies is experimentally mimicked by varying the time interval between two closely spaced laser pulses. Emission intensities from the laser ablation kernels are measured to qualitatively estimate laser energy coupling, and flame CH* chemiluminescence is recorded in a time-resolved manner to capture the flame evolution and propagation. A comparison of the measurements is made between the two successive breakdown ignition events. It is found that the formation of the subsequent ablation kernel is almost independent of the previous one, however, for the successive breakdowns, the first breakdown and its ensuing combustion created temporal regions of no energy coupling as they heat the gas and lower the density. Flame imaging shows that the second ablation event successfully produces another flame kernel and is capable of holding the flame-base even at pulse intervals where the second laser pulse cannot form a breakdown. This study demonstrates that successive ablation ignition can allow for the use of higher laser frequencies and enhanced flame stabilization than successive breakdown ignition. (C)2015 Optical Society of America