Influence of self-sustained jet oscillation on a confined turbulent flame near lean blow-out

Premixed methane-air turbulent flame is generated in a single-nozzle jet-stabilized combustor designed based on the FLOX® concept1. Confinement-induced, self-sustained jet oscillation is observed. Its influence on combustion stability near lean blow-out (LBO) is investigated using simultaneous particle imaging velocimetry (PIV), planar laser-induced fluorescence of OH radicals (OH PLIF), and OH chemiluminescence imaging at 5-kHz repetition rate. Via proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of the velocity field and extended POD of the scalar fields, pronounced variations in the flame shape are observed during a cycle of jet oscillation. In extreme cases, flame is partially blown out in the combustor due to jet impingement on the wall during the first half of its oscillation cycle. In the subsequent half cycle following jet detachment, flame is restabilized after robust flashback and re-light. Statistical analysis shows that such pattern is by far the most prevalent mechanism for blow-out and restabilization to take place at the operating condition. Additionally, these events are found with much higher probability during slow-paced jet oscillations.