INFERNITYFLAME IN FREEFALL

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Attribute
Hardware groupACME group
Pillars
Prevention
Fuel phaseGaseous
MaterialMethane, ethylene, hydrogen and propane; BRE uses gaseous fuel to simulate solid and liquid fuels
ShapeFlat porous burner, coflow burner, gas-jet burner and spherical porous burner
SizeModular burner set mounted on the CIR chamber axis
O2 concentrationVaried / not specified
PressureVaried / not specified
AirflowVaried / not specified
FacilityModular ACME hardware in the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR)
Module / vehicleInternational Space Station
Sensors
  • Color, CH* and OH* imaging
  • Thin-filament pyrometry and color-ratio pyrometry
  • Radiometer arrays
  • Photomultiplier tubes for OH* and CH* emission
  • Gas chromatograph
  • Heat flux transducers and surface thermocouples on BRE burners
Variables tested
  • Six sub-experiments: BRE, CLD Flame, E-FIELD Flames, Flame Design, s-Flame and CFI-G
  • Fuel dilution and oxygen-enriched atmospheres
  • Soot inception and extinction limits
  • Electric field strength up to 10 kV
  • Burner type, flow rate and chamber pressure
ObjectivesImprove efficiency and reduce pollutant emissions through fundamental microgravity research on laminar gaseous non-premixed flames, with spacecraft fire prevention as a secondary objective.
Key findings
  • Microgravity sooty flames were taller, wider, cooler and far sootier than normal-gravity flames, with five to eight times more soot.
  • Highly diluted microgravity flames were more stable than normal-gravity flames, extending dilution limits and allowing lifted flames at lower fuel concentrations.
  • BRE uses a flat porous burner fed with gaseous fuel to simulate the burning of solids and liquids and assess flammability test methods for low and partial gravity.
  • E-FIELD Flames applied up to 10 kV to study ion-driven flame control and stability.
Relevant environments
Spacecraft cabinSpace stationLunar base
SourceNASA PSI