This paper presents the correlation of the intensity ratio of the C2* and CH* radicals to fuel-air measurements over a range of pressures using 93% octane gasoline as the fuel. The measurements are conducted for the first time at high pressures. The study utilizes beam splitting technology to simultaneously view C2* and CH* as a line of sight, global measurement at the cost of resolution. A heavily instrumented constant volume combustor, with optical access, was employed to acquire the data. The ratio of C2* and CH* has been proven to be a good index of the equivalence ratio of premixed laminar flames. This index is attained, quite simply, by filtering each at their respected emissive peaks and taking the ratio of C2* over CH*. This technique shows great promise for use in turbomachinery as it will allow for identification of rich and lean locations in a combustor. By knowing the fuel-air field, combustor inefficiencies can be addressed to allow for greater energy release in combustion. The issue lies with the application of the indexing technique. Presented data to date has been performed on laboratory based diffusion flames exhausting to atmosphere, or premixed, steady, combustor type flames at low pressure (1atm) conditions. These types of flames are not relevant for engine combustor conditions. Understanding the fuel distribution at relevant regimes will reveal where inefficiencies may lie in injector or combustor design. Propagating flame kernels pose a problem in that they do not produce as much light as a steady flame, this makes spectral data difficult to obtain. Steady flames also do not address the effects that pressure may have on the index of C2* and CH*. The authors of this work seek to address three main issues associated with the indexing technique: The feasibility of its application to combustors (hardware design), The ability to operate at low-light ignition events, and the effects pressure may have on the correlation of intensity ratio to the fuel-air measurement.
