Experimental investigation of entropy waves generated from acoustically excited premixed swirling flame

Entropy waves play an important role in the production of indirect combustion noise and thermoacoustic instability. The characteristics of entropy waves from swirling flames have not been systematically investigated. Here, a premixed methane/air swirl burner was built with upstream acoustic excitation from a loudspeaker. A joint infrared imaging and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) thermometry measurement was carried out to investigate the entropy waves generated in this burner. The infrared imaging technique provides qualitative images of the distribution, propagation and dissipation of entropy waves while the TDLAS technique provides quantitative measurement of temperature fluctuation. Time resolved measurements of the swirling flame bulk velocity, CH* chemiluminescence, gas temperature and infrared images were simultaneously obtained, demonstrating that entropy waves were generated from the premixed swirling flame under external acoustic excitation. Entropy waves were shown to be greatly influenced by the amplitude and frequency of acoustic waves. They also showed dissipation as the entropy waves propagate downstream according to the attenuated temperature fluctuation and infrared radiation intensities. Simultaneous high speed infrared imaging and particle image velocimetry measurements showed that the temperature non-uniformities arise from engulfment and mixing through periodic vortex roll-up.