Predicting the temperature of a premixed flame in a microcombustor

摘要

We apply the scale analysis and the simulation to relate the flame temperature in a microcombustor to the external wall surface temperature. In deriving the equation for predicting the flame temperature, we account for the detailed reaction mechanisms in the combustion process and we assume that the flow in the combustor tube is laminar. Experimental investigations have been conducted to validate the equation. We employ hydrogen as a fuel and obtain a stable flame in microcombustors with internal radii of 3, 4 and 6 mm. Good agreement between the measured and the predicted flame temperature has been achieved. In predicting the flame temperature, we use a Nusselt number Nu=3.650 and 4.363 for the tube diameters of 6 mm and above and 4 mm and below, respectively. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.