Development and Validation of a Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy System for Hot Gas Flow and Small-Scale Flame Measurement

TDLAS (tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy) is an important gas analysis method that can be employed to obtain characteristic parameters non-invasively by the infrared absorption spectra of tracer molecules such as CH4, H2O and O2. In this study, a portable H2O-based TDLAS system with a dual optical path was developed with the aim of assessing the combustion characteristics of flammable gases. Firstly, a calculation method of gas characteristics including temperature and velocity combining absorption spectra and a HITRAN database was provided. Secondly, to calibrate and validate this TDLAS system precisely, a pressure vessel and a shock tube were introduced innovatively to generate static or steady flow fields with preset constant temperatures, pressures, or velocities. Static tests within environment pressures up to 2 MPa and steady flow field tests with temperatures up to 1600 K and flow velocities up to 950 m/s were performed for verification. It was proved that this system can provide an accurate values for high temperature and velocity gas flows. Finally, an experimental investigation of CH4/air flames was conducted to test the effectiveness of the system when applied to small diffusion flames. This TDLAS system gave satisfactory flame temperature and velocity data owing to the dual optical path design and high frequency scanning, which compensated for scale effects and pulsation of the flame. This work demonstrates a valuable new approach to thermal hazard analysis in specific environments.