Experimental study of diffusion flame oscillations and empirical correlations

A diagnostic tool, the cadmium sulfide photocell, was used to study flame oscillation. This light sensitive device proved to be relatively accurate and cheap for measuring flame oscillations. This was done by measuring the light variations associated with – and as a result of – flame oscillation or flicker.It is speculated that the flame flow conditions and mechanisms responsible for flame oscillations are highly sensitive to various burner configurations. In the study, various burner configurations were placed inside an enclosure and the resulting flame oscillation frequency was measured. Considered were: (a) size of slot burner orifice, (b) size of slot burner nominal diameter, and (c) gas supply flow rate. Each of these variables was changed to determine whether the flame oscillation frequency followed the Von Karman vortex shedding or other models. It was shown that there is a strong relation between St and Fr numbers.