Quantitative flow visualization technique for measurements in combustion gases

A quantitative flow visualization technique for combustion research is described. The method uses sheet illumination from a tunable laser to excite planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) which is detected using 2-D detector. This technique has been used to make single-shot simultaneous multiple-point measurements of species concentration and has recently been extended to measurements of other properties such as temperature and velocity. The light sources, image intensifiers, detector arrays, computer hardware, and computer software needed to implement this scheme are described. The detectivity, dynamic range, spatial resolution, and temporal resolution of the technique are discussed and a recent application of the technique (to view the OH concentration in a rod-stabilized flame) is presented.