A thermal formulation for single-wall quenching of transient laminar flames

Improving our knowledge of flame-wall interaction is of relevance to performing near-wall combustion calculations. Quenching distance is to be determined accordingly, as a major parameter of flame quenching. For this purpose, an equation describing the behavior of single-wall flame quenching has been derived from a simplified model of laminar flame-wall interaction. It allows evaluating quenching distance from wall heat flux and mixture properties; a significant advantage of this formula is the absence of any empirical coefficient. To assess its reliability, the results computed with this equation have been compared to experimental data concerning laminar flame-wall interaction. For this purpose, single-wall quenching parameters have been recorded in both head-on and sidewall configurations. Quenching distance and wall heat flux have been measured simultaneously, during the combustion of quiescent methane-air mixtures in a constant-volume vessel. Quenching distance is determined through direct visualization, whereas wall heat flux is processed from the time evolution of wall surface temperature. The equation has been verified over the pressure range 0.05-0.35 MPa in stoichiometric and lean mixtures. It shows good agreement with experimental data at first order, with less than 20% variation. (c) 2007 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.