Soot Formation Characteristics on the Instability of Laminar Diffusion Flames

In this study, soot formation characteristics on the instability of laminar diffusion flames were investigated experimentally using a concentric co-flow burner. When a small amount of air was supplied through an inner nozzle, a stable propane laminar diffusion flame became unstable and began to oscillate mainly due to the dilution effect. The increase of air flow rate transformed an oscillating non-sooting flame into a stable nonsooting flame. When the air flow rate was continuously increased an inner flame was formed and the flame was changed to an oscillating sooting flame, an oscillating non-sooting flame and finally a stable non-sooting hollow flame. When the air flow rate was decreased, a non-sooting hollow flame was eventually changed back to a stable non-sooting flame. The presence of an inner flame, however, altered the soot formation characteristics of a flame. More soot production was observed with the presence of an inner flame. The increased or decreased soot formation/oxidation rates, the radiation heat loss, and the heating effect of inner flames are most likely to be responsible for the observed instability of laminar diffusion flames.