Vortex-dynamical interpretation of anti-phase and in-phase flickering of dual buoyant diffusion flames

Tao Yang, Xi Xia, Peng Zhang

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

29 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Anti-phase and in-phase flickering modes of dual buoyant diffusion flames were numerically investigated and theoretically analyzed in this study. Inspired by the flickering mechanism of a single buoyant diffusion flame, for which the deformation, stretching, or even pinch-off of the flame surface result from the formation and evolution of the toroidal vortices, we attempted to understand the anti-phase and in-phase flickering of dual buoyant diffusion flames from the perspective of vortex dynamics. The interaction between the inner-side shear layers of the two flames was identified to be responsible for the different flickering modes. Specifically, the transition between anti-phase and in-phase flickering modes can be predicted by a unified regime nomogram of the normalized flickering frequency versus a characteristic Reynolds number, which accounts for the viscous effect on vorticity diffusion between the two inner-side shear layers. Physically, the transition of the vortical structures from symmetric (in-phase) to staggered (anti-phase) in a dual-flame system can be interpreted as being similar to the mechanism causing flow transition in the wake of a bluff body and forming the Karman vortex street.

Original languageEnglish
Article number053202
JournalPhysical Review Fluids
Volume4
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2019

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computational Mechanics
  • Modelling and Simulation
  • Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

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