Simultaneous imaging of OH,formaldehyde, and temperature of turbulent nonpremixed jet flames in a heated and diluted coflow

This paper reports measurements in turbulent nonpremixed CH₄/H₂ jet flames issuing into a heated and highly diluted coflow. These conditions emulate those of moderate or intense low-oxygen-dilution (MILD) combustion. The spatial distribution of the hydroxyl radical (OH), formaldehyde (H₂CO), and temperature, imaged using planar laser-induced fluorescence and Rayleigh scattering laser diagnostic techniques, are measured and presented. Comparisons are made between three jet Reynolds numbers and two coflow O₂ levels. Measurements are taken at two downstream locations. The burner used in this work facilitates the additional study on the effects of the entrainment of surrounding air on the flame structure at downstream locations. Reducing the coflow oxygen level is shown to lead to a suppression of OH as a result of the reduced temperatures in the reaction zone. Decreasing the oxygen level of the coflow also results in a broadening of the OH distribution. At downstream locations, the surrounding air mixes with the jet and coflow. The subsequent drop in the temperature of the oxidant stream can lead to a rupture of the OH layer. Localized extinction allows premixing of the fuel with the surrounding air. The result is an increase in the reaction rate, highlighting the need for homogeneous mixing to maintain MILD combustion conditions.     

Ignition kernel formation and lift-off behaviour of jet-in-hot-coflow flames

The stabilisation region of turbulent non-premixed flames of natural gas mixtures burning in a hot and diluted coflow is studied by recording the flame luminescence with an intensified high-speed camera. The flame base is found to behave fundamentally differently from that of a conventional lifted jet flame in a cold air coflow. Whereas the latter flame has a sharp interface that moves up and down, ignition kernels are continuously being formed in the jet-in-hot-coflow flames, growing in size while being convected downstream. To study the lift-off height effectively given these highly variable flame structures, a new definition of lift-off height is introduced. An important parameter determining lift-off height is the mean ignition frequency density in the flame stabilisation region. An increase in coflow temperature and the addition of small quantities of higher alkanes both increase ignition frequencies, and decrease the distance between the jet exit and the location where the first ignition kernels appear. Both mechanisms lower the lift-off height. An increase in jet Reynolds number initially leads to a significant decrease of the location where ignition first occurs. Higher jet Reynolds numbers (above 5000) do not strongly alter the location of first ignition but hamper the growth of flame pockets and reduce ignition frequencies in flames with lower coflow temperatures, leading to larger lift-off heights.     

Laser raman measurements of temperature and species concentration in swirling lifted hydrogen jet diffusion flames

Simultaneous spatially and temporally resolved point measurements of temperature, mixture fraction, major species (H₂, H₂O, O₂, N₂), and minor species (OH) concentrations are performed in unswirled (S_g = 0), low swirl (S_g = 0.12), and high swirl (S_g = 0.5) lifted turbulent hydrogen jet diffusion flames into still air. Ultraviolet (UV) Raman scattering and laser-induced predissociative fluorescence (LIPF) techniques are combined to make the multi-parameter measurements using a single KrF excimer laser. Experimental results are compared to the fast chemistry (equilibrium) limit, to the mixing without reaction limit, and to simulations of steady stretched laminar opposed-flow flames. It is found that in the lifted region where the swirling effects are strong, the measured chemical compositions are inconsistent with those calculated from stretched laminar diffusion flames or stretched partially premixed flames. Sub-equilibrium values of temperature, sub-flamelet values of H₂O, and super-flamelet values of OH are found in an intermittent annular turbulent brush of the swirled flame but not in the unswirled flame. Farther downstream of the nozzle exit (x/D ≥ 50), swirl has little effect on the finite-rate chemistry.     

A parametric study of autoigniting hydrogen jets under compression-ignition engine conditions

This study examines the flame evolution of autoigniting H₂ jets with high-speed schlieren and OH1 chemiluminescence optical methods in a constant-volume combustion chamber over a wide range of simulated compression-ignition engine conditions. Parametric variations include the injector nozzle orifice diameter (0.31–0.83 mm), injection reservoir pressure (100–200 bar), ambient temperature (1000–1140 K), density (12.5–24 kg/m³) and O₂ concentration (10–21 vol.%). The jet ignition delay was found to be highly sensitive to changes in ambient temperature while all other parameter variations resulted in minor ignition delay changes. Optical imaging reveals that in most cases, the reaction front of the H₂ jet initiates from a localised kernel, before engulfing the entire jet volume downstream and recessing towards the nozzle. The flames attach to the nozzle, except at the lowest ambient oxygen condition of 10 vol.% O₂ for which a lifted flame is observed. The H₂ diffusion flame length shows a dependence on both the mass flow rate and the level of O₂ entrainment that follows the same correlations as previously established for atmospheric H₂ jet flames.     

Soot surface oxidation in hydrocarbon/air diffusion flames at atmospheric pressure

Soot surface oxidation was studied experimentally in laminar hydrocarbon/air diffusion flames at atmospheric pressure. Measurements were carried out along the axes of round fuel jets burning in co-flowing dry air considering acetylene-nitrogen, ethylene, propylene-nitrogen, propane and acetylene-benzene-nitrogen in the fuel stream. Measurements were limited to the initial stages of soot oxidation (carbon consumption less than 70%) where soot oxidation occurs at the surface of primary soot particles. The following properties were measured as a function of distance above the burner exit: soot concentrations by deconvoluted laser extinction, soot temperatures by deconvoluted multiline emission, soot structure by thermophoretic sampling and analysis using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), concentrations of major stable gas species (N₂, H₂O, H₂, O₂, CO, CO₂, CH₄, C₂H₂, C₂H₄, C₂H₆, C₃H₆, C₃H₈, and C₆H₆) by sampling and gas chromatography, concentrations of some radical species (H, OH, O) by deconvoluted Li/LiOH atomic absorption and flow velocities by laser velocimetry. For present test conditions, it was found that soot surface oxidation rates were not affected by fuel type, that direct rates of soot surface oxidation by O₂ estimated from Nagle and Strickland-Constable (1962) were small compared to observed soot surface oxidation rates because soot surface oxidation was completed near the flame sheet where O₂ concentrations were less than 3% by volume, and that soot surface oxidation rates were described by the OH soot surface oxidation mechanism with a collision efficiency of 0.14 and an uncertainty (95% confidence) of ±0.04 when allowing for direct soot surface oxidation by O₂, which is in reasonably good agreement with earlier observations of soot surface oxidation rates in both premixed and diffusion flames at atmospheric pressure.     

On the structure of the near field of oxy-fuel jet flames using Raman/Rayleigh laser diagnostics

An experimental study on turbulent non-premixed jet flames is presented with focus on CO₂-diluted oxy-fuel combustion using a coflow burner. Measurements of local temperatures and concentrations of the main species CO₂, O₂, CO, N₂, CH₄, H₂O and H₂ were achieved using the simultaneous line-imaged Raman/Rayleigh laser diagnostics setup at Sandia National Laboratories. Two series of flames burning mixtures of methane and hydrogen were investigated. In the first series, the hydrogen molar fraction in the fuel was varied from 37% to 55%, with a constant jet exit Reynolds number Re_Fuel of 15,000. In the second series the jet exit Reynolds number was varied from 12,000 to 18,000, while keeping 55% H₂ molar fraction in the fuel. Besides local temperatures and concentrations, the results revealed insights on the behaviour of localized extinction in the near-field. It was observed that the degree of extinction increased as the hydrogen content in fuel was decreased and as the jet Reynolds number was increased. Based on the distribution of the temperature, a fully burning probability index able to quantify the degree of extinction along the streamwise coordinate was defined and applied to the present flame measurements. A comparison of measured conditional mean of mass fractions and laminar flame calculations underlined the significant level of differential diffusion in the near-field that tended to decrease farther downstream. The results also showed high local CO levels induced by the high content of CO₂ in the oxidizer and flame products. A shift of maximum flame temperature was observed toward the rich side of the mixture fraction space, most likely as a consequence of reduced heat release in the presence of product dissociation. Main characteristics of laser Raman scattering measurements in CO₂-diluted oxy-fuel conditions compared to air-diluted conditions are also highlighted. Most data, including scalar fluctuations and conditional statistics are available upon request.     

Analysis of autoignition of a turbulent lifted H2/N2 jet flame issuing into a vitiated coflow

Due to energy crisis and concern regarding the environmental emission, hydrogen as an alternative clean fuel has received more attention. To develop new devices or upgrade the conventional combustion systems for hydrogen flames, fundamental concepts necessary for burner design need to be investigated. In the present work, characteristics of flame stabilization for a turbulent lifted H₂/N₂ jet flame issuing into a hot coflow of lean combustion are investigated using the Scalar probability density function (PDF) approach. Calculations are carried out for different coflow temperatures, concentrations of species and equivalence ratio. Reaction rate analyses are used to investigate the dominant chemistry at the flame base for a variety of conditions. The results show the occurrence of autoignition at the flame base that is responsible for the stabilization of the lifted turbulent flame. The coflow temperature plays an important role in the relative contribution of elementary reactions and the determination of the dominant chemistry at the flame base. This leads to a high sensitivity of lift-off height to the coflow temperature. Oxygen and water content in the hot coflow could affect the ignition process and lift-off height depending on the dominant chemistry at the flame base. Furthermore, the effect of oxygen content in hot coflow is found to be very important on the reactions controlling the high temperature combustion.     

Stabilization of air coflowed ammonia jet flame at elevated ambient temperatures

Ammonia is a promising carbon-free fuel, while, understanding of ammonia jet flame is still in lack. In this work, a novel facility was applied and air coflowed ammonia jet flames were achieved in an elevated ambient temperature range, 723–923K. Stabilization regimes and limits were investigated. Stable lifted flame with a classical triple structure was observed, and critical aerodynamic parameters were measured at three specific regimes, liftoff, reattachment and blowoff. Attached flame can only be retained under laminar conditions with flow Reynolds number <150. A linear correlation between velocities of fuel jet and coflow under critical conditions was uncovered, which is different from the literature research on methane flames. Effects of partially premixing and N₂ dilution were considered. Partially premixing was found harmful to stabilization at 823K, while this influence becomes unclear at 923K. Differently, a linearly adverse effect was observed under both N₂-diluted jet and coflow conditions at different temperatures.     

Chemical effects of added CO2 on the extinction characteristics of H2/CO/CO2 syngas diffusion flames

Chemical effects of added CO₂ on flame extinction characteristics are numerically studied in H₂/CO syngas diffusion flames diluted with CO₂. The two representative syngas flames of 80% H₂ + 20% CO and 20% H₂ + 80% CO are inspected according to the composition of fuel mixture diluted with CO₂ and global strain rate. Particular concerns are focused on impact of chemical effects of added CO₂ on flame extinction characteristics through the comparison of the flame characteristics between well-burning flames far from extinction limit and flames at extinction. It is seen that chemical effects of added CO₂ reduce critical CO₂ mole fraction at flame extinction and thus extinguish the flame at higher flame temperature irrespective of global strain rate. This is attributed by the suppression of the reaction rate of the principal chain branching reaction through the augmented consumption of H-atom from the reaction CO₂ + H→CO + OH. As a result the overall reaction rate decreases. These chemical effects of added CO₂ are similar in both well-burning flames far from extinction limit and flames at extinction. There is a mismatching in the behaviors between critical CO₂ mole fraction and maximum flame temperature at extinction. This anomalous phenomenon is also discussed in detail.     

Lifted methane-air jet flames in a vitiated coflow

The present vitiated coflow flame consists of a lifted jet flame formed by a fuel jet issuing from a central nozzle into a large coaxial flow of hot combustion products from a lean premixed H₂/air flame. The fuel stream consists of CH₄ mixed with air. Detailed multiscalar point measurements from combined Raman-Rayleigh-LIF experiments are obtained for a single base-case condition. The experimental data are presented and then compared to numerical results from probability density function (PDF) calculations incorporating various mixing models. The experimental results reveal broadened bimodal distributions of reactive scalars when the probe volume is in the flame stabilization region. The bimodal distribution is attributed to fluctuation of the instantaneous lifted flame position relative to the probe volume. The PDF calculation using the modified Curl mixing model predicts well several but not all features of the instantaneous temperature and composition distributions, time-averaged scalar profiles, and conditional statistics from the multiscalar experiments. A complementary series of parametric experiments is used to determine the sensitivity of flame liftoff height to jet velocity, coflow velocity, and coflow temperature. The liftoff height is found to be approximately linearly related to each parameter within the ranges tested, and it is most sensitive to coflow temperature. The PDF model predictions for the corresponding conditions show that the sensitivity of flame liftoff height to jet velocity and coflow temperature is reasonably captured, while the sensitivity to coflow velocity is underpredicted.     

On the effect of carbon monoxide addition on soot formation in a laminar ethylene/air coflow diffusion flame

The effect of carbon monoxide addition on soot formation in an ethylene/air diffusion flame is investigated by experiment and detailed numerical simulation. The paper focuses on the chemical effect of carbon monoxide addition by comparing the results of carbon monoxide and nitrogen diluted flames. Both experiment and simulation show that although overall the addition of carbon monoxide monotonically reduces the formation of soot, the chemical effect promotes the formation of soot in an ethylene/air diffusion flame. The further analysis of the details of the numerical result suggests that the chemical effect of carbon monoxide addition may be caused by the modifications to the flame temperature, soot surface growth and oxidation reactions. Flame temperature increases relative to a nitrogen diluted flame, which results in a higher surface growth rate, when carbon monoxide is added. Furthermore, the addition of carbon monoxide increases the concentration of H radical owing to the intensified forward rate of the reaction CO + OH = CO₂ + H and therefore increases the surface growth reaction rates. The addition of carbon monoxide also slows the oxidation rate of soot because the same reaction CO + OH = CO₂ + H results in a lower concentration of OH.     

Numerical investigation into the decoupling effects of hydrogen blending on flame structure and soot formation in a laminar ethylene diffusion flame

Numerical calculations were conducted to explore the various effects of hydrogen blending on flame properties and soot behaviors in an ethylene coflow diffusion flame, based on a fully step-by-step decoupling method, by introducing several virtual species into the gas-phase mechanism. Results show that the concentration of OH increases under the chemical effect of hydrogen due to an enhanced rate of H₂ + O ↔ OH + H. The soot yield, primary number density, and average primary number per aggregate decrease under dilution effect while these increase under chemical effect. The enhancements of hydrogen-abstraction-carbon-addition (HACA) rates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) condensation rates are responsible for soot mass addition under chemical effect. Both the oxidation rates by O₂ and OH are delayed under the chemical effect because of lower concentrations of O₂ and OH in the sooting zone. The overall effect of higher surface growth rates and delayed oxidation rates results in an increased soot volume fraction (SVF).     

Chemical structure of autoignition in a turbulent lifted H2/N2 jet flame issuing into a vitiated coflow

In the present paper autoignition is studied as the main stabilization mechanism in turbulent lifted H₂/N₂ jet flames issuing into a vitiated hot coflow. The numerical study is performed using the joint scalar PDF approach with detailed chemistry in a two dimensional axisymmetric domain. The SSG Reynolds stress model is used as a turbulence model in the simulation. Chemical structure and characteristics of autoignition are investigated using various methods and parameters. Reaction rate analysis is made to analyze the ignition process at the flame base. The results show the occurrence of a chain branching reaction preceding thermal runaway, which boosts the chain branching process in the flame. This demonstrates the large impact of autoignition at the flame base on the stabilization of the lifted turbulent flame. Further investigation using the scatter-plots of scalars reveals the characteristics of the ignition. The relation between the behavior of temperature and of key intermediate species demonstrates the formation of OH through consumption of HO₂ at nearly isothermal conditions in a very lean-fuel mixture at the flame base. Flux analyses in the conservation equations of species are used to explore the impacts of mass transport on ignition process. Ignition is found to be mainly controlled by chemical features rather than the mixing processes near the flame base. Characteristics of autoignition are also investigated in terms of Damköhler number and progress variable.     

Flame front structure of turbulent premixed flames of syngas oxyfuel mixtures

In order to investigate oxyfuel combustion characteristics of typical composition of coal gasification syngas connected to CCS systems. Instantaneous flame front structure of turbulent premixed flames of CO/H₂/O₂/CO₂ mixtures which represent syngas oxyfuel combustion was quantitatively studied comparing with CH₄/air and syngas/air flames by using a nozzle-type Bunsen burner. Hot-wire anemometer and OH-PLIF were used to measure the turbulent flow and detect the instantaneous flame front structure, respectively. Image processing and statistical analyzing were performed using the Matlab Software. Flame surface density, mean progress variable, local curvature radius, mean flame volume, and flame thickness, were obtained. Results show that turbulent premixed flames of syngas possess wrinkled flame front structure which is a general feature of turbulent premixed flames. Flame surface density for the CO/H₂/O₂/CO₂ flame is much larger than that of CO/H₂/O₂/air and CH₄/air flames. This is mainly caused by the smaller flame intrinsic instability scale, which would lead to smaller scales and less flame passivity response to turbulence presented by Markstain length, which reduce the local flame stretch against turbulence vortex. Peak value of Possibility Density Function (PDF) distribution of local curvature radius, R, for CO/H₂/O₂/CO₂ flames is larger than those of CO/H₂/O₂/air and CH₄/air flames at both positive and negative side and the corresponding R of absolute peak PDF is the smallest. This demonstrates that the most frequent scale is the smallest for CO/H₂/O₂/CO₂ flames. Mean flame volume of CO/H₂/O₂/CO₂ flame is smaller than that of CH₄/air flame even smaller than that of CO/H₂/O₂/air flame. This would be due to the lower flame height and smaller flame wrinkles.     

Turbulent lifted flames of H2/N2 fuel issuing into a vitiated coflow investigated using Lagrangian Intermittent Modelling

This paper reports results of numerical simulations of a turbulent lifted jet flame of hydrogen–nitrogen mixtures including the effects of the autoignition. The impact of burned gases on the flame stabilization is analysed under the conditions of a laboratory jet flame in a vitiated coflow. In this study, mass flow rate, temperature and exact chemical composition of hot products mixed with air sent toward the turbulent flame base are fully determined. The effects of both non-infinitely fast chemistry and partially premixed combustion are taken into account within a Lagrangian intermittent framework. Detailed chemistry effects are incorporated through the use of a tabulation delay. The concept of residence time of the particles and the transport equation for the mean scalar dissipation rate are included. Numerical simulation of the turbulent diluted jet flame of H₂/N₂ studied by Cabra and his co-workers at Berkeley University is performed and satisfactory results are obtained: the flame liftoff height is reasonably captured and the predictions display a reasonable agreement with respect to experimental data.     

On the similitude between lifted and burner-stabilized triple flames: a numerical and experimental investigation

We have investigated lifted triple flames and addressed issues related to flame stabilization. The stabilization of nonpremixed flames has been argued to result due to the existence of a premixing zone of sufficient reactivity, which causes propagating premixed reaction zones to anchor a nonpremixed zone. We first validate our simulations with detailed measurements in more tractable methane–air burner-stabilized flames. Thereafter, we simulate lifted flames without significantly modifying the boundary conditions used for investigating the burner-stabilized flames. The similarities and differences between the structures of lifted and burner-stabilized flames are elucidated, and the role of the laminar flame speed in the stabilization of lifted triple flames is characterized. The reaction zone topography in the flame is as follows. The flame consists of an outer lean premixed reaction zone, an inner rich premixed reaction zone, and a nonpremixed reaction zone where partially oxidized fuel and oxidizer (from the rich and lean premixed reaction zones, respectively) mix in stoichiometric proportion and thereafter burn. The region with the highest temperatures lies between the inner premixed and the central nonpremixed reaction zone. The heat released in the reaction zones is transported both upstream (by diffusion) and downstream to other portions of the flame. Measured and simulated species concentration profiles of reactant (O₂, CH₄) consumption, intermediate (CO, H₂) formation followed by intermediate consumption and product (CO₂, H₂O) formation are presented. A lifted flame is simulated by conceptualizing a splitter wall of infinitesimal thickness. The flame liftoff increases the height of the inner premixed reaction zone due to the modification of the upstream flow field. However, both the lifted and burner-stabilized flames exhibit remarkable similarity with respect to the shapes and separation distances regarding the three reaction zones. The heat-release distribution and the scalar profiles are also virtually identical for the lifted and burner-stabilized flames in mixture fraction space and attest to the similitude between the burner-stabilized and lifted flames. In the lifted flame, the velocity field diverges upstream of the flame, causing the velocity to reach a minimum value at the triple point. The streamwise velocity at the triple point is ≈0.45 m s⁻¹ (in accord with the propagation speed for stoichiometric methane–air flame), whereas the velocity upstream of the triple point equals 0.7 m s⁻¹, which is in excess of the unstretched flame propagation speed. This is in agreement with measurements reported by other investigators. In future work we will address the behavior of this velocity as the equivalence ratio, the inlet velocity profile, and inlet mixture fraction are changed.     

Kinetic modeling study of hydrogen addition to premixed dimethyl ether-oxygen-argon flames

The chemical composition of flames was examined systematically for a series of laminar, premixed low-pressure Dimethyl ether (DME)-oxygen-argon flames blended with hydrogen. The effects of hydrogen addition to the DME base flame were seen to result in interesting differences. The flame is analyzed with a comprehensive kinetic model that combines the chemistries of hydrogen and DME combustion. The results indicated that the reduction of CH₃OCH₃ mole fraction in the blend is the dominant factor for the reduction of CH₃OCH₃ and CO mole fractions in the flame. The rate of the primary reactions related to CH₃OCH₃ and CO increases obviously with the addition of hydrogen. When the volume fractions of H₂ to the total of DME and H₂ exceeds 40%, H₂ will change from an intermediate species to a reactant, which means the effect of H₂ on the premixed combustion will be more significant. The free radicals in the radical pool, such as H, O and OH radicals, increase as hydrogen is added, which promote the combustion process. The mole fraction of CH₂O is decreased as hydrogen is added. Less soot precursors (acetylene (C₂H₂)) were produced with the addition of H₂.     

Soot surface growth and oxidation at pressures up to 8.0 atm in laminar nonpremixed and partially premixed flames

The flame structure and soot particle surface reaction properties, including growth and oxidation, of laminar jet nonpremixed flames were studied experimentally at pressures of 1.0-8.0 atm. Ethylene-helium mixtures were used in an oxygen/helium coflow at normal temperature (300 K) in order to minimize the effects of buoyancy. The following properties along the axis of flames were measured as a function of distance from the burner exit: soot concentrations by laser extinction, soot temperatures by multiline emission, soot structure by thermophoretic sampling and analysis using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), concentrations of major stable gas species by isokinetic sampling and gas chromatography, concentrations of radical species (H, OH, O) by Li/LiOH atomic absorption, and flow velocities by laser velocimetry. The measurements were analyzed to determine local flame properties in order to find soot surface growth and oxidation rates. The measurements of soot surface growth rates (corrected for soot surface oxidation) were found to be consistent with earlier measurements at atmospheric and subatmospheric pressures involving laminar premixed and diffusion flames fueled with a variety of hydrocarbons. The growth rates from all the available flames were in good agreement with each other and with existing hydrogen-abstraction/carbon-addition (HACA) soot surface growth mechanisms available in the literature. Measurements of early soot surface oxidation rates at pressures of 1.0-8.0 atm (corrected for soot surface growth and prior to consumption of 70% of the maximum mass of the primary soot particles) were found to be consistent with earlier measurements at atmospheric and subatmospheric pressures. The oxidation rates of up to 8 atm in flame environment could be explained by reaction with OH, having a collision efficiency of 0.12.     

Flame propagation enhancement by plasma excitation of oxygen. Part I: Effects of O3

The thermal and kinetic effects of O₃ on flame propagation were investigated experimentally and numerically by using C₃H₈/O₂/N₂ laminar lifted flames. Ozone produced by a dielectric barrier plasma discharge was isolated and measured quantitatively by using absorption spectroscopy. Significant kinetic enhancement by O₃ was observed by comparing flame stabilization locations with and without O₃ production. Experiments at atmospheric pressures showed an 8% enhancement in the flame propagation speed for 1260 ppm of O₃ addition to the O₂/N₂ oxidizer. Numerical simulations showed that the O₃ decomposition and reaction with H early in the pre-heat zone of the flame produced O and OH, respectively, from which the O reacted rapidly with C₃H₈ and produced additional OH. The subsequent reaction of OH with the fuel and fuel fragments, such as CH₂O, provided chemical heat release at lower temperatures to enhance the flame propagation speed. It was shown that the kinetic effect on flame propagation enhancement by O₃ reaching the pre-heat zone of the flame for early oxidation of fuel was much greater than that by the thermal effect from the energy contained within O₃. For non-premixed laminar lifted flames, the kinetic enhancement by O₃ also induced changes to the hydrodynamics at the flame front which provided additional enhancement of the flame propagation speed. The present results will have a direct impact on the development of detailed plasma-flame kinetic mechanisms and provided a foundation for the study of combustion enhancement by O₂(a¹Δ_g) in part II of this investigation.