Effect of preferential diffusion and flame stretch on flame structure and laminar burning velocity of syngas Bunsen flame using OH-PLIF

•Premixed CO/H2/air flame was studied by OH-PLIF.•Preferential diffusion and flame curvature on flame structures were clarified.•Laminar burning velocities were measured.•Stretch effect on laminar burning velocity was interpreted.

By using OH-PLIF technique, experiments were conducted for laminar Bunsen flame of premixed CO/H2/air mixtures with equivalence ratio ranging from 0.5 to 1.8. Reynolds number was varied from 800 to 2200, XH2 = H2/(H2+CO) in the mixture was varied from 20% to 100% to study the effects of both preferential diffusion and flame curvature on flame structures and laminar flame burning velocities. Results showed that the combined effects of preferential diffusion and curvature gave an interesting phenomenon of the flame OH radical distributions on high hydrogen content flames. Furthermore, with the increase of H2 fraction in fuel mixture, the effects of both preferential diffusion and flame curvature were increased. Interpretation of flame stretch effect on laminar burning velocity is also provided in this paper.