Schlieren and Shadowgraph Images of Transient Expanding Spherical Thin Flames

Experimental facilities have been built to visualize transient expanding spherical flames. Facilities include a cylindrical chamber with two end glasses for optical observation. Shadowgraph and Schlieren pictures of flame propagation have been taken using a high speed Charged Coupled Device (CCD) camera. In this paper the optical behavior of spherical flames has been investigated using both Schlieren and Shadowgraph methods. A mathematical model has been developed to predict the intensity of refracted light beams interacting with a transient expanding thin flame. Experimental results are in very good agreement with theoretical model. Schlieren and Shadowgraph techniques have also been used to view smooth, cracked and cellular flames, which are useful in determining the stability of propagating flame.