Strategies for laser-induced fluorescence detection of nitric oxide in high-pressure flames. III. Comparison of A-X excitation schemes

Comparative stereodynamics in molecule-atom and molecule-molecule rotational energy transfer: NO(A(2)Σ(+)) + He and D2

We present a crossed molecular beam scattering study, using velocity-map ion-imaging detection, of state-to-state rotational energy transfer for NO(A(2)Σ(+)) in collisions with the kinematically identical colliders He and D2. We report differential cross sections and angle-resolved rotational angular momentum polarization moments for transfer of NO(A, v = 0, N = 0, j = 0.5) to NO(A, v = 0, N' = 3, 5-12) in collisions with He and D2 at respective average collision energies of 670 cm(-1) and 663 cm(-1). Quantum scattering calculations on a literature ab initio potential energy surface for NO(A)-He [J. Kłos et al., J. Chem. Phys. 129, 244303 (2008)] yield near-quantitative agreement with the experimental differential scattering cross sections and good agreement with the rotational polarization moments. This confirms that the Kłos et al. potential is accurate within the experimental collisional energy range. Comparison of the experimental results for NO(A) + D2 and He collisions provides information on the hitherto unknown NO(A)-D2 potential energy surface. The similarities in the measured scattering dynamics of NO(A) imply that the general form of the NO(A)-D2 potential must be similar to that calculated for NO(A)-He. A consistent trend for the rotational rainbow maximum in the differential cross sections for NO(A) + D2 to peak at more forward angles than those for NO(A) + He is consistent with the NO(A)-D2 potential being more anisotropic with respect to NO(A) orientation. No evidence is found in the experimental measurements for coincident rotational excitation of the D2, consistent with the potential having low anisotropy with respect to D2. The NO(A) + He polarization moments deviate systematically from the predictions of a hard-shell, kinematic-apse scattering model, with larger deviations as N' increases, which we attribute to the shallow gradient of the anisotropic repulsive NO(A)-He potential energy surface.

Rotationally inelastic scattering of NO(A(2)Σ(+)) + Ar: Differential cross sections and rotational angular momentum polarization

We present the implementation of a new crossed-molecular beam, velocity-map ion-imaging apparatus, optimized for collisions of electronically excited molecules. We have applied this apparatus to rotational energy transfer in NO(A(2)Σ(+), v = 0, N = 0, j = 0.5) + Ar collisions, at an average energy of 525 cm(-1). We report differential cross sections for scattering into NO(A(2)Σ(+), v = 0, N' = 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9), together with quantum scattering calculations of the differential cross sections and angle dependent rotational alignment. The differential cross sections show dramatic forward scattered peaks, together with oscillatory behavior at larger scattering angles, while the rotational alignment moments are also found to oscillate as a function of scattering angle. In general, the quantum scattering calculations are found to agree well with experiment, reproducing the forward scattering and oscillatory behavior at larger scattering angles. Analysis of the quantum scattering calculations as a function of total rotational angular momentum indicates that the forward scattering peak originates from the attractive minimum in the potential energy surface at the N-end of the NO. Deviations in the quantum scattering predictions from the experimental results, for scattering at angles greater than 10°, are observed to be more significant for scattering to odd final N'. We suggest that this represents inaccuracies in the potential energy surface, and in particular in its representation of the difference between the N- and O-ends of the molecule, as given by the odd-order Legendre moments of the surface.

A Review on Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition and Low Temperature Combustion by Optical Diagnostics

Optical diagnostics is an effective method to understand the physical and chemical reaction processes in homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) and low temperature combustion (LTC) modes. Based on optical diagnostics, the true process on mixing, combustion, and emissions can be seen directly. In this paper, the mixing process by port-injection and direct-injection are reviewed firstly. Then, the combustion chemical reaction mechanism is reviewed based on chemiluminescence, natural-luminosity, and laser diagnostics. After, the evolution of pollutant emissions measured by different laser diagnostic methods is reviewed and the measured species including NO, soot, UHC, and CO. Finally, a summary and the future directions on HCCI and LTC used optical diagnostics are presented.

Electronic-resonance-enhanced coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering of nitric oxide: saturation and Stark effects

A theoretical analysis of electronic-resonance-enhanced (ERE) coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) of NO is described. The time-dependent density-matrix equations for the nonlinear ERE-CARS process are derived and manipulated into a form suitable for direct numerical integration. In the ERE-CARS configuration considered in this paper, the pump and Stokes beams are far from electronic-resonance. The visible 532 and 591 nm laser beams are used to excite Q-branch Raman resonances in the vibrational bands of the X (2)Pi electronic state of NO. An ultraviolet probe beam at 236 nm is used to excite P-, Q-, or R-branch transitions in the (v'=0, v"=1) band of the A (2)Sigma(+)-X (2)Pi electronic system of NO molecule. Experimental spectra are obtained either by scanning the ultraviolet probe beam while keeping the Stokes frequency fixed (probe scans) or by scanning the Stokes frequency while keeping the probe frequency fixed (Stokes scans). The calculated NO ERE-CARS spectra are compared with experimental spectra, and good agreement is observed between theory and experiment in terms of spectral peak locations and relative intensities. The effects of saturation of the two-photon Raman-resonant Q-branch transitions, the saturation of a one-photon electronic-resonant P-, Q-, or R-branch transitions in the A (2)Sigma(+)-X (2)Pi electronic system, and the coupling of these saturation processes are investigated. The coupling of the saturation processes for the probe and Raman transitions is complex and exhibits behavior similar to that observed in the electromagnetic induced transparency process. The probe scan spectra are significantly affected by Stark broadening due to the interaction of the pump and Stokes radiation with single-photon resonances between the upper vibration-rotation probe level in the A (2)Sigma(+) electronic levels and vibration-rotation levels in higher lying electronic levels. The ERE-CARS signal intensity is found to be much less sensitive to variations in the collisional dephasing rates under saturation conditions.

Advanced Laser Imaging Diagnostics in Combustion

Laser-based imaging diagnostics allow the quantitative determination of scalar fields (concentrations, temperature) in combustion environments. Beyond instantaneous two-dimensional distributions, multi-dimensional imaging can provide simultaneous information about concentration of more than one species and temperature, about three-dimensional concentration and temperature distributions as well as the temporal evolution of reactions, flows and evaporation processes. Various examples in combustion environments are presented.

Measurement of nitric oxide concentrations in flames by using electronic-resonance-enhanced coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering

We have measured nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in flames by using electronic-resonance-enhanced coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (ERE-CARS). Visible pump and Stokes beams were tuned to a Q-branch vibrational Raman resonance of NO. A UV probe beam was tuned into resonance with specific rotational transitions in the (v"=1,v'=0) vibrational band in the A(2)Sigma(+)-X(2)Pi electronic transition, thus providing a substantial electronic-resonance enhancement of the resulting CARS signal. NO concentrations were measured at levels down to 50 parts in 10(6) in H(2)/air flames at atmospheric pressure. NO was also detected in heavily sooting C(2)H(2)/air flames at atmospheric pressure with minimal background interference.

Two-photon nitric oxide laser-induced fluorescence measurements in a diesel engine

A two-photon nitric oxide (NO) laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique was developed and applied to study in-cylinder diesel combustion. The technique prevents many problems associated with in-cylinder, single-photon NO planar-laser-induced fluorescence measurements, including fluorescence interference from the Schumann-Runge bands of hot O2, absorption of a UV excitation beam by in-cylinder gases, and difficulty in rejecting scattered laser light while simultaneously attempting to maximize fluorescence signal collection. Verification that the signal resulted from NO was provided by tuning of the laser to a vibrational off-resonance wavelength that showed near-zero signal levels, which resulted from either fluorescence or interference at in-cylinder pressures of as much as 20 bar. The two-photon NO LIF signal showed good qualitative agreement with NO exhaust-gas measurements obtained over a wide range of engine loads.

Quantitative temperature measurements in high-pressure flames with multiline NO-LIF thermometry

An accurate temperature measurement technique for steady, high-pressure flames is investigated using excitation wavelength-scanned laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) within the nitric oxide (NO) A-X(0, 0) band, and demonstration experiments are performed in premixed methane/air flames at pressures between 1 and 60 bars with a fuel/air ratio of 0.9. Excitation spectra are simulated with a computational spectral simulation program (LIFSim) and fit to the experimental data to extract gas temperature. The LIF scan range was chosen to provide sensitivity over a wide temperature range and to minimize LIF interference from oxygen. The fitting method is robust against elastic scattering and broadband LIF interference from other species, and yields absolute, calibration-free temperature measurements. Because of loss of structure in the excitation spectra at high pressures, background signal intensities were determined using a NO addition method that simultaneously yields nascent NO concentrations in the postflame gases. In addition, fluorescence emission spectra were also analyzed to quantify the contribution of background signal and to investigate interference in the detection band-width. The NO-LIF temperatures are in good agreement with intrusive single-color pyrometry. The proposed thermometry method could provide a useful tool for studing high-pressure flame chemistry as well as provide a standard to evaluate and validate fast-imaging thermometry techniques for practical diagnostics of high-pressure combustion systems.