Experiments

CRF Experimental Reacting Flow research is focused on revealing and understanding the interactions between fluid dynamics, molecular transport, and combustion chemistry in flames. Many aspects of the complex interaction between fluid flow and chemistry can be explored nonintrusively using state-of-the-art laser-based optical diagnostics. Complementary diagnostics are applied to a variety of flames in the Advanced Imaging Research Laboratory (AIL) and the Turbulent Combustion Laboratory (TCL).

The goal of reacting flow research is to accelerate science-based predictive capabilities that can guide design, operation, and fuel formulation for practical combustion devices. Therefore, CRF experimental research is conducted in close collaboration with computational scientists and turbulent combustion modelers at Sandia and around the world. Apparatus are often designed for fundamental studies of ‘building block’ flows with well-defined boundary conditions, such as unsteady laminar flames, turbulent jet flames, and relatively simple flames stabilized by bluff-body recirculation or swirl. The strong coupling among experiment, theory, modeling, and simulation provides a powerful approach to understanding complex combustion processes.