Raman scattering measurements in flames using a tunable KrF excimer laser

Broadband 308 nm vibrational Raman spectroscopy of gaseous species using a potassium hydrogen phthalate liquid filter and polarization fluorescence suppression

Broadband XeCl excimer lasers operating at 308 nm are not currently used in the field of gas phase vibrational Raman spectroscopy (VRS). An explanation as to why alternative wavelengths, and in particular tuneable, narrowband lasers are currently preferred for gas phase VRS is presented in addition to demonstrating a setup which makes the XeCl laser a viable alternative when considering excitation sources for VRS. A solution of potassium hydrogen phthalate is shown to be a practical low-pass liquid filter and to reduce substantially the effects of Rayleigh scattering on collected Raman spectra. The use of a commercial beam polarizer is also shown to be effective in suppressing background fluorescence that otherwise necessitates the use of expensive tuneable, narrowband lasers when performing VRS with sources of background fluorescence. Finally, an unconventional excitation beam arrangement is shown to produce viable Raman spectra from which species concentrations and distributions can be determined.

Near-resonance enhanced O2 detection for dual-broadband pure rotational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering with an ultraviolet-visible setup at 266 nm

Broadband and dual-broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) are widely established tools for nonintrusive gas diagnostics. Up to now the investigations have been mainly performed for electronic nonresonant conditions of the gas species of interest. We report on the enhancement of the O2-N2 detection limit of dual-broadband pure rotational CARS by shifting the wavelength of the narrowband pump laser from the commonly used 532-266 nm. This enhancement is caused when the Schumann-Runge absorption band is approached near 176 nm. The principal concept of this experiment, i.e., covering the Raman resonance with a single- or dual-broadband combination of lasers in the visible range and moving only the narrowband probe laser near or directly into electronic resonant conditions in the UV range, should also be applicable to broadband CARS experiments to directly exploit electronic resonance effects for the purpose of single-shot concentration measurements of minority species. To quantify the enhancement in O2 sensitivity, comparative measurements at both a 266 and a 532 nm narrowband pump laser wavelength are presented, employing a 4-dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyram (DCM) dye laser as a broadband laser source at 635 nm. An increase of approximately equal to 13% in the ratio of the rotational CARS cross sections of O2 and N2 was obtained. The broad spectral width of the CARS excitation profile was approximately equal for both setups. Further enhancement should be achievable by shifting the narrowband pump laser closer toward 176 nm, for example, with a frequency-doubled optical parametric oscillator or an excimer laser. The principal concept of this experiment should also be applicable to broadband CARS experiments to directly exploit electronic resonance effects of the narrowband pump laser with electronic transitions of minority species for the purpose of single-shot concentration measurements of those species.

Application of 266-nm and 355-nm Nd:YAG laser radiation for the investigation of fuel-rich sooting hydrocarbon flames by raman scattering

We describe the use of linear Raman scattering for the investigation of fuel-rich sooting flames. In comparison, the frequency-tripled and -quadrupled fundamental wavelengths of a Nd:YAG laser have been used as an excitation source for study of the applicability of these laser wavelengths for analysis of sooting flames. The results obtained show that, for the investigation of strongly sooting flames, 266-nm excitation is better than 355-nm excitation. Although the entire fluorescence intensity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) decreases with rising excitation wavelength, there is increased interference with the Raman signals by displacement of the spectral region of the Raman signals toward the fluorescence maximum of the laser-induced fluorescence emissions. Besides the broadband signals of PAHs, narrowband emissions of laser-produced C2 occur in the spectra of sooting flames and affect the Raman signals. These C2 emission bands are completely depolarized and can be separated by polarization-resolved detection. A comparison of the laser-induced fluorescence emissions of an ethylene flame with those of a methane flame shows the same spectral features, but the intensity of the emissions is larger by a factor of 5 for the ethylene fuel. Using 266-nm radiation for Raman signal excitation makes possible measurements in the ethylene flame also.

One-Dimensional, Time-Resolved Raman Measurements in a Sooting Flame made with 355-nm Excitation

Single-shot vibrational Raman measurements were performed along an 11-mm-long line crossing the reaction zone in a premixed, fuel-rich (phi = 10), laminar methane-air flame by use of a frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser with a 355-nm emission wavelength. This laser source seems to have advantages relative to KrF excimer lasers as well as to Nd:YAG lasers at 532 nm for hydrocarbon combustion diagnostics. The Raman emissions of all major species (N(2), O(2), CH(4), H(2), CO(2), H(2)O) were detected simultaneously with a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm. By integration over selected spectral intervals, the mole fractions of all species and subsequently the local gas temperatures have been obtained. A comparison of the temperatures that were found with results from filtered Rayleigh experiments showed good agreement, indicating the success of what are to the best of our knowledge the first one-dimensional single-shot Raman measurements in a sooting hydrocarbon flame.

Two-dimensional temperature determination in the exhaust region of a laminar flat-flame burner with linear Raman scattering

For planar temperature measurements in combusting flows, the well-established laser Raman technique has been further developed to provide two-dimensional local resolution. After excitation with a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser, the anti-Stokes and the Stokes Raman signals of the vibrational Q branch of molecular N(2) were detected at 473.3 and 607.3 nm, respectively. From the ratio of the two images, two-dimensional temperature distributions have been obtained by application of an analytical function, which was determined from theoretically calculated Raman spectra. Time-averaged measurements have been performed in the exhaust region of an atmospheric-pressure laminar CH(4)/air flat-flame burner for different equivalence ratios. The accuracy and precision of the results are discussed in combination with the prospects for time-resolved single-pulse measurements.

Application of tunable excimer lasers to combustion diagnostics: a review

Tunable excimer lasers are being used to produce species-, space-, and time-resolved images of complex gaseous media. These media may be analyzed for composition, density, temperature, or flow velocities. The techniques are, in general, highly selective, sensitive, and nonintrusive and are being made possible by recent technological developments in these UV lasers and in intensified cameras, imaging spectrographs, and fast digital image processing. We describe the needs for laser diagnostics in combustion, the physical mechanisms, the relevant spectroscopy, typical experimental setups, and equipment considerations. Precision and accuracy are discussed on the basis of some simple, but realistic, calculations intended to guide the experimentalist in design considerations and to reveal potential sources of errors in the often difficult conversion of raw data to values for such quantitative parameters as densities or temperatures. Finally we present an overview of previous results, select some examples that show the power of tunable excimer laser diagnostics in combustion, and present some suggestions for future directions.

Accuracy and precision of single-pulse one-dimensional vibrational coherent anti-Stokes Raman-scattering temperature measurements

The accuracy and precision of time-resolved one-dimensional temperature measurements using single-pulse one-dimensional N(2) vibrational coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering along a line have been investigated in air in the temperature range from 300 to 1500 K. For this, the experimental spectra were taken in a high-temperature oven at atmospheric pressure. A planar BOXCARS phase-matching geometry was employed to generate the signal along a 6.16-mm line directed perpendicular to the beam propagation. With the used imaging optics, in this direction a spatial resolution of 86 mum was achieved. Depending on the set temperature, the agreement between the thermocouple readings and the mean values of the evalutated coherent anti-Stokes Raman-scattering temperatures is better than 40 K. The applicability of this new technique for the time-resolved measurement of temperature gradients is demonstrated along a line that crosses the flame front in a premixed laminar CH(4)-air flame.

Line Raman, Rayleigh, and laser-induced predissociation fluorescence technique for combustion with a tunable KrF excimer laser

We have applied a line UV Raman, Rayleigh, and laser-induced predissociation fluorescence technique for measurement of turbulent hydrocarbon flames. The species concentration of CO(2), O(2), CO, N(2), CH(4), H(2)O, OH, and H(2) and the temperature are measured instantaneously and simultaneously along a line of 11.4 mm, from which the gradients with respect to mixture fraction and spatial direction are obtained. The technique has been successfully tested in a laminar premixed stoichiometric methane flame and a laminar hydrogen diffusion flame. In addition the technique has been tested in a highly turbulent rich premixed methane flame. The data show that the technique can be used to provide instantaneous measurements of local profiles that describe the local flame structure in highly turbulent flames.

Single-pulse, two-line temperature-measurement technique using KrF laser-induced O(2) fluorescence

A new single-pulse, two-line laser-induced O(2) fluorescence (LIF) temperature-measurement technique was demonstrated. The fluorescence spectrum obtained with multichannel detection following simultaneous excitation of two coincident transitions in the 0-6 and the 2-7 bands of the B(3)Σ(-)(u)-X(3)Σ(-)(g) Schumann-Runge system was used to determine the gas temperature. The rms error of 100-pulse average LIF temperature measurements, referenced to their corresponding thermocouple measurements, was 1.3% over a temperature range of 1300-1800 K in atmospheric air. Photon shot noise was found to be the primary source of uncertainty for these measurements in a quiescent environment. Single-pulse temperature-measurement uncertainties (1 σ) ranged from approximately 13% at 1300 K to 7% at 1800 K.

Single-pulse, simultaneous multipoint multispecies Raman measurements in turbulent nonpremixed jet flames

An imaging technique based on Raman scattering induced by a KrF excimer laser has been developed for quantitative simultaneous multiple-point measurements of absolute multispecies concentrations (O(2), N(2), H(2), and H(2)O) and temperature in turbulent flames. These multiparameter measurements along the laser line have a temporal resolution of 17 ns, a spatial resolution of 0.7 mm for each point, and single-shot standard deviations of ~8%. The UV Raman imaging system has been applied in turbulent nonpremixed hydrogen-air flames, providing what are to our knowledge the first reported single-pulse, simultaneous multiple-point quantitative images of multiple species and temperature.

Ultraviolet Raman-scattering measurements in flames by the use of a narrow-band XeCl excimer laser

Spectra with simultaneous peaks of CO(2), O(2), N(2), CH(4), and H(2)O are taken by the use of spontaneous Raman scattering from free jets and a turbulent CH4 diffusion flame. A narrow-band XeCl excimer laser working at 308 nm and an intensified multichannel camera are used to give full information about all major species and the spectral background. Knowledge of the structure of the background is important for data analysis. For O(2), an enhancement that is due to near-resonant Raman scattering is found. Assuming no influence of this enhancement on the temperature dependence of the O(2) Raman-scattering cross section, temperature and concentrations of all major molecules are determined simultaneously from the intensity of the Raman bands. Experimental details and a data reduction scheme based on the analysis of the entire spectral shape are reported. Strong fluorescence backgrounds from OH radicals found in the high-temperature regions of the flame are discussed.

Two-plane two-dimensional Rayleigh thermometry technique for turbulent combustion

A two-plane two-dimensional Rayleigh thermometry technique is presented for measurements in turbulent hydrocarbon flames. UV Rayleigh thermometry is used in this technique for what is to the author's knowledge the first time. It shows the advantages of using LJY excimer lasers rather than visible lasers for Rayleigh scattering. The present technique is useful for studying the three-dimensional structure of the reaction zone in turbulent flames.