Local equivalence ratio measurement of CH₄/air and C ₃H₈/air laminar flames by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

The local equivalence ratios of CH₄/air and C₃H ₈/air mixtures were measured using a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique with a fiber-coupled ICCD spectrometer with Cassegrain optics. Localized breakdown plasma was generated from the pulse of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 532 nm. This system allowed us to measure laser-induced plasma spectra with high spatial and temporal resolution. The specified intensity ratio and set up equivalence ratios were well correlated and found to be a good indicator in practical measurement. The intensity ratio indicated a remarkable relationship regardless the presence of the flame. For the unburned and burned regions, there were some differences in the change in the intensity ratio, but the calibration slopes were almost similar. It was found that this technique can measure the local equivalence ratio of methane or propane premixed laminar flame regardless a flame. The intensity ratio was not a function of the incident beam intensity or flow rate, which is very acceptable for practical measurement. In this experiment, the relative error was around 5%.