A micro flowreactor with controlled temperature profile

In the past microcombustion research, we discovered two new flames, such as dynamic pulsating flame and weak flame. The former is flame with repetitive extinction and ignition (FREI), and the latter is flame with extremely small heat generation and luminescence.
By utilizing these novel flame regimes, we developed "a micro flowreactor with controlled temperature profile" which enables us to identify the ignition temperature and the lowest possible flame temperature for given fuels.
It also enables spatial separation of reactions in different temperature levels, such as cool, blue and main flames. We expect to utilize this methodology for validation, construction and reduction of various chemical kinetics for alternative fuels.

Experimental setup

Flame images

FAQ

• Computational model for weak flame in MFR
• Temperature difference between weak flame and inner surface of reactor tube wall
• Negligibly small impact of radical quenching

Related references

• Hiroshi Oshibe, Hisashi Nakamura, Takuya Tezuka, Susumu Hasegawa and Kaoru Maruta, Two Stage Reactions of Dimethyl Ether - Air Mixture in Micro Flowreactor with Controlled Temperature Profile, Proceedings of the 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Combustion, (2009), ID10116.
• Hisashi Nakamura, Hiroshi Oshibe and Kaoru Maruta, Dimension Reduction Model for Auto-ignition in Micro Flowreactor with Controlled Temperature Profile, Proceedings of the 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Combustion, (2009), ID10115.
• Yosuke Tsuboi, Takeshi Yokomori, Kaoru Maruta, Lower limit of weak flame in a heated channel, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Vol. 32, Issue 2: 3075-3081 (2009).
  doi:10.1016/j.proci.2008.06.151, Link
• Yosuke Tsuboi, Takeshi Yokomori, Kaoru Maruta, Extinction characteristics of premixed flame in heated microchannel at reduced pressures, Combustion Science and Technology, Vol.180, Issue 10 & 11: 2029 - 2045 ( 2008 ).
  doi:10.1080/00102200802269723, Link
• Kaoru Maruta, Takuya Kataoka, Nam Il Kim, Sergey Minaev and Roman Fursenko, Characteristics of combustion in a narrow channel with a temperature gradient, Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Vol. 30: 2429-2436 (2005).
  doi:10.1016/j.proci.2004.08.245, Link
• Kaoru Maruta, J. K. Park, K. C. Oh, T. Fujimori, S. Minaev and R. Fursenko, Characteristics of Microscale Combustion in a Narrow Heated Channel, Combustion, Explosion and Shock Waves, Vol. 40 No. 5: 516-523 (2004).
  doi:10.1023/B:CESW.0000041403.16095.a8, Link