A multi-probe thermophoretic soot sampling system for high-pressure diffusion flames

Optical diagnostics and physical probing of the soot processes in high pressure combustion pose challenges that are not faced in atmospheric flames. One of the preferred methods of studying soot in atmospheric flames is in situ thermophoretic sampling followed by transmission electron microscopy ima...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of scientific instruments 2016-05, Vol.87 (5), p.055101-055101
Main Authors: Vargas, Alex M., Gülder, Ömer L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
COMBUSTION
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
DIFFUSION
Diffusion flames
ELECTRIC MOTORS
FLAMES
INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Intrusion
METHANE
MORPHOLOGY
Pressure chambers
PROBES
Rotating disks
SAMPLING
Scientific apparatus & instruments
Soot
Systems design
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
WATER INFLUX
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Summary:Optical diagnostics and physical probing of the soot processes in high pressure combustion pose challenges that are not faced in atmospheric flames. One of the preferred methods of studying soot in atmospheric flames is in situ thermophoretic sampling followed by transmission electron microscopy imaging and analysis for soot sizing and morphology. The application of this method of sampling to high pressures has been held back by various operational and mechanical problems. In this work, we describe a rotating disk multi-probe thermophoretic soot sampling system, driven by a microstepping stepper motor, fitted into a high-pressure chamber capable of producing sooting laminar diffusion flames up to 100 atm. Innovative aspects of the sampling system design include an easy and precise control of the sampling time down to 2.6 ms, avoidance of the drawbacks of the pneumatic drivers used in conventional thermophoretic sampling systems, and the capability to collect ten consecutive samples in a single experimental run. Proof of principle experiments were performed using this system in a laminar diffusion flame of methane, and primary soot diameter distributions at various pressures up to 10 atm were determined. High-speed images of the flame during thermophoretic sampling were recorded to assess the influence of probe intrusion on the flow field of the flame.
ISSN:0034-6748
1089-7623
DOI:10.1063/1.4947509