Further development of the three-region model of a premixed turbulent flame I. Turbulent diffusion dominated region 2
A study of the balance equation for turbulent kinetic energy of a premixed turbulent flame has been carried out. Various parameters constituting each term have either been measured or have been calculated from previously measured values. Propane and hydrogen were used as fuels, and the turbulence intensity of the approach flow was varied. Thus, an energy balance of turbulence in a flame has been set up. These results show that increase in both approach turbulence intensity and laminar burning velocity reduce the ratio of production/dissipation in a flame. Thus the stabilizing influence of laminar burning velocity is fully confirmed. The turbulent convection term is found to remain substantially unaltered. The advection term, on the other hand, changes from a loss to a gain in the turbulent energy of the flame. Finally, it is shown that significant differences exist between a flame and a non-reactive variable density axisymmetric jet. These conclusions make the study of turbulent flames unique in that theories that do not accommodate their special features should either be modified or abandoned.