Title: Intermediate Reynolds/Peclet number, flat plate boundary layer flows over catalytic surfaces for micro-combustion applications

Authors: Suzanne A. Smyth, Kowtilya Bijjula, Dimitrios C. Kyritsis

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

Abstract: The reactive, flat plate boundary layer flow of close-tostoichiometric, methane–air mixtures over small size Pt plates is studied experimentally for intermediate Reynolds and Peclet numbers which pertain to micro-combustion applications. The surface temperature was measured with infrared thermography and correlated to reactant concentration profiles acquired with line-Raman imaging. Three phases of combustion were observed. Immediately after the leading edge, a first phase was established with a high surface temperature (>1200°C) and intense fuel depletion. The Reynolds number and equivalence ratio strongly influenced this first phase. It was followed by a second, longer phase, where temperature reached an intermediate value near 1000°C that exhibited little sensitivity to Reynolds number and equivalence ratio. In a third phase, combustion was completed and the surface temperature was reduced to the free-stream mixture temperature. It is suggested that this |Phase I| combustion can be used for burner miniaturisation through boundary layer interruption.

Keywords: micro-combustion; catalytic combustion; Raman imaging; infrared thermography; boundary layer flows; catalytic surfaces; methane–air mixtures; temperature measurement; burner miniaturisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAP.2007.013026

International Journal of Alternative Propulsion, 2007 Vol.1 No.2/3, pp.294 - 308

Published online: 03 Apr 2007 *

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