Thermographic Particle Velocimetry for Simultaneous Temperature, Velocity and Mixture Fraction Measurements in High Temperature reacting and Particle Laden Flows

The drive for energy efficiency and low emissions is placing increasing demands on combustor design with schemes such as lean premixed pre-­vaporised combustion, stratified combustions and the move to bio-based fuels all providing challenges for designers. There is hence a simultaneous need for enhanced design codes and experimental methods to undertake fundamental studies of reacting flows and to provide code validation. This project will build on existing work of the lead supervisor to develop a new and unique laser based flow diagnostic technique that provides simultaneous and correlated velocity, temperature and mixture fraction data in high temperature flows. The technique relies on the temperature dependent luminescent properties of micron sized phosphorescent seeding particles simultaneously excited by UV and visible laser light. The project will consider new seeding materials for enhanced temperature capability and improved signal processing methodologies. The current state-of-the-art can be observed where a high speed PIV based embodiment currently being marketed by Lavision is shown. The next generation will consider a point based technique for improved temporal and spatial resolution and enhanced temperature capability.