Imaging of reaction zones in hydrocarbon-air flames by use of planar laser-induced fluorescence of CH.

A method for imaging the reaction zones in hydrocarbon-air flames is described. The technique is based on planar laser-induced fluorescence of the CH radical by use of excitation in the A(2)Delta ? X(2) II(1, 0) band and broadband detection from the overlapping (1, 1) and (0, 0) bands. This strategy is found to provide a significant improvement in image quality compared with that from previously employed CH imaging techniques. Results are presented for propane-air flames, and a comparison of possible imaging strategies is given.