Flame front propagation velocity measurement and in-cylinder combustion reconstruction using POET

The objective of this thesis is to develop an intelligent diagnostic technique POET (Passive Optical Emission Tomography) for the investigation of in cylinder combustion chemiluminescence. As a non-intrusive optical system, the POET system employs 40 fibre optic cables connected to 40 PMTs (Photo Multiplier Tube) to monitor the combustion process and flame front propagation in a modified commercial OHV (Over Head Valve) Pro 206 IC engine. The POET approach overcomes several limitations of present combustion research methods using a combination of fibre optic detection probes, photomultipliers and a tomographic diagnostics. The fibre optic probes are placed on a specially designed cylinder head gasket for non-invasively inserting cylinder. Each independent probe can measure the turbulent chemiluminescence of combustion flame front at up to 20 kHz. The resultant intensities can then be gathered tomographically using MART (Multiplicative Algebraic Reconstruction Technique) software to reconstruct an image of the complete flame-front. The approach is essentially a lensless imaging technique, which has the advantage of not requiring a specialized engine construction with conventional viewing ports to visualize the combustion image. The fibre optic system, through the use of 40, 2m long thermally isolated fibre optic cables can withstand combustion temperatures and is immune from electronic noise, typically generated by the spark plug. The POET system uses a MART tomographic methodology to reconstruct the turbulent combustion process. The data collected has been reconstructed to produce a temporal and spatial image of the combustion flame front. The variations of lame turbulence are monitored by sequences of reconstructed images. Therefore, the POET diagnostic technique reduces the complications of classic flame front propagation measurement systems and successfully demonstrates the in-cylinder combustion process. In this thesis, a series of calibration exercises have been performed to ensure that the photomultipliers of the POET system have sufficient temporal and spatial resolution to quantitatively map the flow velocity turbulence and chemiluminescence of the flame front. In the results, the flame has been analyzed using UV filters and blue filters to monitor the modified natural gas fuel engine. The flame front propagation speed has been evaluated and it is, on average, 12 m/s at 2280 rpm. Sequences of images have been used to illustrate the combustion explosion process at different rpm

ReSCon '12, Research Student Conference: Book of Abstracts

The fifth SED Research Student Conference (ReSCon2012) was hosted over three days, 18-20 June 2012, in the Hamilton Centre at Brunel University. The conference consisted of 130 oral and 70 poster presentations, based on the high quality and diverse research being conducted within the School of Engineering and Design by postgraduate research students. The conference is held annually, and ReSCon plays a key role in contributing to research and innovations within the School

Aeronautical Engineering: A continuing bibliography with indexes, supplement 137, July 1981

This bibliography lists 483 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in June 1981

Aeronautical Engineering: A continuing bibliography with indexes, supplement 104

This bibliography lists 532 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information System in December 1978

The 1990 Johnson Space Center bibliography of scientific and technical papers

Abstracts are presented of scientific and technical papers written and/or presented by L. B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) authors, including civil servants, contractors, and grantees, during the calendar year of 1990. Citations include conference and symposium presentations, papers published in proceedings or other collective works, seminars, and workshop results, NASA formal report series (including contractually required final reports), and articles published in professional journals

Small-Scale Hydropower and Energy Recovery Interventions: Management, Optimization Processes and Hydraulic Machines Applications

Several topics in the small-scale hydropower sector are of great interest for pursuing the goal of a more sustainable relationship with the environment. The goal of this Special Issue entitled “Small-Scale Hydropower and Energy Recovery Interventions: Management, Optimization Processes and Hydraulic Machines Applications” was to collect the most important contributions from experts in this research field and to arouse interest in the scientific community towards a better understanding of what might be the main key aspects of the future hydropower sector. Indeed, the Guest Editors are confident that the Special Issue will have an important impact on the entire scientific community working in this research field that is currently facing important changes in paradigm to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions in both the energy and water sectors

Advanced Fluid Dynamics

This book provides a broad range of topics on fluid dynamics for advanced scientists and professional researchers. The text helps readers develop their own skills to analyze fluid dynamics phenomena encountered in professional engineering by reviewing diverse informative chapters herein

Aeronautical engineering: A continuing bibliography with indexes (supplement 223)

This bibliography lists 423 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in January, 1988

Novel cardiovascular magnetic resonance phenotyping of the myocardium

INTRODUCTION Left ventricular (LV) microstructure is unique, composed of a winding helical pattern of myocytes and rotating aggregations of myocytes called sheetlets. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a cardiovascular disease characterised by left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), however the link between LVH and underlying microstructural aberration is poorly understood. In vivo cardiovascular diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) is a novel cardiovascular MRI (CMR) technique, capable of characterising LV microstructural dynamics non-invasively. In vivo cDTI may therefore improve our understanding microstructural-functional relationships in health and disease. METHODS AND RESULTS The monopolar diffusion weighted stimulated echo acquisition mode (DW-STEAM) sequence was evaluated for in vivo cDTI acquisitions at 3Tesla, in healthy volunteers (HV), patients with hypertensive LVH, and HCM patients. Results were contextualised in relation to extensively explored technical limitations. cDTI parameters demonstrated good intra-centre reproducibility in HCM, and good inter-centre reproducibility in HV. In all subjects, cDTI was able to depict the winding helical pattern of myocyte orientation known from histology, and the transmural rate of change in myocyte orientation was dependent on LV size and thickness. In HV, comparison of cDTI parameters between systole and diastole revealed an increase in transmural gradient, combined with a significant re-orientation of sheetlet angle. In contrast, in HCM, myocyte gradient increased between phases, however sheetlet angulation retained a systolic-like orientation in both phases. Combined analysis with hypertensive patients revealed a proportional decrease in sheetlet mobility with increasing LVH. CONCLUSION In vivo DW-STEAM cDTI can characterise LV microstructural dynamics non-invasively. The transmural rate of change in myocyte angulation is dependent on LV size and wall thickness, however inter phase changes in myocyte orientation are unaffected by LVH. In contrast, sheetlet dynamics demonstrate increasing dysfunction, in proportion to the degree of LVH. Resolving technical limitations is key to advancing this technique, and improving the understanding of the role of microstructural abnormalities in cardiovascular disease expression.Open Acces