Conference proceeding
Experimental Study on the Impact of Nanoparticle Seeding on Blowoff Limits and Flame Stability of Gaseous Fuel Blends in a Low Swirl Burner
Volume 8: Heat Transfer and Thermal Engineering; Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Fluids
ASME 2025 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Memphis, Tennessee, USA, Nov. 16 - 20, 2025
11/16/2025
DOI: 10.1115/IMECE2025-165715
Abstract
Abstract
As global energy demands rise, the need for advanced combustion technologies that support sustainable fuels while minimizing emissions has become increasingly critical. This study explores the influence of nanoparticle seeding on flame stability and blowoff limits in a Low Swirl Burner (LSB). Acetylene black nanoparticles were introduced at a controlled seeding rate into pure Methane, Methane-hydrogen blends. To achieve precise and uniform particle injection, a custom-built seeder was employed, consisting of a rotating arm to prevent particle agglomeration and a vibrator operating to ensure a steady flow through a narrow nozzle. To analyze the impact of nanoparticle seeding, high-speed videography and Hydroxyl Radical Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (OH-PLIF) imaging were utilized to capture flame dynamics, track the flame front, and quantify radius of curvature of the local flame surface. The blowoff results show that nanoparticle seeding improves blowoff limit by 6.67% for pure Methane. While seeding provides additional benefits for the 20% hydrogen blend (increasing blowoff improvement from 20% to 21.7%), it shows no measurable effect on the 40% hydrogen blend’s blowoff limit. The study reveals that trace acetylene black seeding (0.01 mg/s) significantly stabilizes methane flames, evidenced by a 19.6% higher curvature PDF peak at Equivalence ratio, Φ = 1 and smoother flame brush morphology, indicating reduced wrinkling. Seeding’s stabilizing effect is most pronounced in rich/stoichiometric conditions (PDF peaks increase by 16.7–34.6% for Φ=0.8–1.1) but diminishes in lean flames. Hydrogen blending (20–40% H2) broadens curvature distributions, confirming inherent instability from enhanced diffusivity/reactivity. Both averaged OH-PLIF fronts and flame brush images corroborate that seeding promotes spatially uniform combustion by damping small-scale turbulence without altering bulk flame structure. The insights gained from this study contribute to the development of cleaner and more efficient combustion strategies for sustainable fuel applications.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Experimental Study on the Impact of Nanoparticle Seeding on Blowoff Limits and Flame Stability of Gaseous Fuel Blends in a Low Swirl Burner
- Creators
- Rahat Mollick - University of IowaChenrui MaFujing Wen - Chinese Academy of EngineeringYun Huang - Chinese Academy of EngineeringJianan Zhang - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyHongtao Ding - University of IowaAlbert Ratner - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding
- Publication Details
- Volume 8: Heat Transfer and Thermal Engineering; Mechanics of Solids, Structures and Fluids
- Conference
- ASME 2025 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Memphis, Tennessee, USA, Nov. 16 - 20, 2025
- DOI
- 10.1115/IMECE2025-165715
- Publisher
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/16/2025
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9985141895802771
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