Analysis and measurement of candle flame shapes

A combined analytical and experimental study was performed to determine the length and width of a candle flame. Measurements were made of laminar steady flames from photographs of straight-wick candles composed of n-tetracosane and normal paraffin waxes. The wicks studied ranged in diameter from about 1 to 9 mm, and in height from about 2 to 10 mm, with aspect ratios (diameter to length) of 0.1 to 2. The flame length from the pool surface and the flame width at the top of the wick were found. It was also noted and recorded that the flame attachment point along the vertical wick varied. The attachment point was found to depend on the aspect ratio of the wick. A model based on stagnant layer burning for a finite cylinder was used, along with the Roper laminar burner model for flame height. With slight adjustment to a constant, the width of the flame was well predicted, and the prediction for the flame height was about 60% too high and offset. In addition, the model gave insight to produce an accurate simple correlation for flame height in terms of wick aspect ratio and Rayleigh number.