This grant is to acquire two instruments that will make it possible to obtain much needed imagery of flame and burner characteristics. The first instrument is a set of high-speed, (several hundred frames per second) high capacity digital (CCD-charged couple display) cameras to digitally image the time evolution of flames during both stable and unstable conditions. The second instrument is a laser to enable PLIF (planar laser-induced fluorescence) measurements. These instruments will be used to study the mechanisms of flame instability. The equipment will support research in two areas of broad technical and societal impact: (1) Increased efficiency and lower emissions for industrial furnaces; the requested equipment will support research that will provide insight, in real-world-scale working furnaces and boilers, on how to design furnaces and burners that address the "Clear Skies Initiative" and "Global Climate Change Initiatives." (2) Under certain conditions, carbon nanotubes can be produced in the boiler combustion chamber, leading to the possibility of large-scale nanotube production with state-of-the-art quality. A study of the flame structure during nanoparticle formation and processing is a key to understanding and controlling the nanotube production process. The equipment will support research on the fundamental mechanisms of nanotube development in working furnaces and provide a basis for the development of production methods for nano-scale components on an industrial scale.
