Laminar Flame Speed Measurements
Laminar flame speed is a fundamental combustion property that characterizes both the global combustion kinetics and important transport properties (thermal and diffusion) of a flammable mixture.
Several techniques are commonly used to experimentally measure laminar flame speeds, but they all struggle to reach the high unburned-gas temperatures (800+ K) frequently encountered in current and next-generation engines.
In the Hanson Group, we have overcome this limitation through our development of the shock-tube flame speed method [1]. Through the combined use of an optically accessible shock-tube as an impulse heater, a nanosecond laser to ignite a spherically expanding flame (SEF), and high-speed imaging to record the flame’s growth, we have demonstrated laminar flame speed measurements at the highest temperatures ever reported (1,100+ K) [2].
Using this novel technique, our group is able to study and provide new insights into the flame behavior of conventional and alternative fuels at previously unexplored, high-temperature conditions and in unison with advanced laser diagnostics [3,4].

To learn more, check out some of our publications:
[1] A. M. Ferris, A. J. Susa, D. F. Davidson, and R. K. Hanson, “High-temperature laminar flame speed measurements in a shock tube,” Combustion and Flame, Vol. 205 (2019) pp. 241–252. DOI: 10.1016/j.combustflame.2019.04.007
[2] A. J. Susa, L. Zheng, and R. K. Hanson, “Schlieren-based measurements of propane flame speeds at extreme temperatures,” in 12th US National Combustion Meeting (2021) pp. 1G05
[3] A.J. Susa, A. M. Ferris, D. F. Davidson, and R. K. Hanson, “Experimental observation of negative temperature dependence in iso-octane burning velocities,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 57:10 (2019) pp. 4476–4481. DOI: 10.2514/1.J058530
[4] A. M. Ferris, J. J. Girard, A. J. Susa, D. F. Davidson, and R. K. Hanson, “Temperature, species, and laminar flame speed measurements in high-temperature, premixed ethane-air flames,” In 11th US National Combustion Meeting (2019)