Investigation of hydrogen and electrolytic oxy-hydrogen addition to propane flames using planar laser-induced fluorescence

The effect of H-2 and electrolytic oxy-hydrogen (EOH) on lean burn (LB) hydrocarbon (propane) flame was investigated using planar OH laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). Analysis of OH species in EOH- and H-2-blended flames was conducted under ultralean (Phi = 0.15) burn conditions. A stability map of the flame was obtained for various equivalence ratios (0.1-1) with H-2 and EOH addition. The stable region of the flame expanded up to a very low equivalence ratio (0.1) with 40% EOH. The EOH-blended flame had a smaller flame height than the H-2-blended flame because of the higher laminar burning speed of the former. The OH concentration in the EOH-blended flame was much higher than that in H-2-blended flame under LB conditions. The OH concentration remained high for the EOH-blended flame with decreasing equivalence ratio or increasing Reynolds number. EOH addition thus enhances OH species generation and the laminar burning velocity of lean burn flame. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.