Rayleigh Temperature Profiles In A Hydrogen Diffusion Flame

Rayleigh scattering from a hydrogen-air laminar jet diffusion flame in combination with a numerical model of the flame has been used to determine temperature profiles. The model predictions of species concentration are used to calculate a mean Rayleigh cross-section which is used to relate the Rayleigh scattered intensity to temperature. Using an argon ion laser producing 7.5 watts at 488 nm and an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA), the scattered light was imaged into a spectrometer. The OMA was rotated 90 degrees to its normal orientation, allowing scans to be taken along the spectrometer exit slit. This resulted in a spatially resolved Rayleigh signal along the laser beam through the entire flame. Spatial resolution of 0.18 mm on each of the 500 detector elements with good signal-to-noise ratios was achieved even with integration times of only 0.03 second. Since the entire profile is made simultaneously, particulate perturbed profiles are easily recognized and discarded. Transverse profiles are presented to show flame structure. Axial profiles are compared to radiation corrected thermocouple measurements.