Present measurements emphasized self-preserving conditions far from the source where effects of source momentum and other source disturbances have been lost. The results show that earlier measurements in the literature were not carried out at sufficient distances from the source to reach self-preserving conditions, and provide measured properties at self-preserving conditions needed to develop and evaluate higher-order models of buoyant turbulent flows. The measurements were used to evaluate a simple k-E-g turbulence model finding good agreement between measured and predicted mean velocities and mixture fractions based on standard turbulence model constants, which is not unusual for a simple classical flow like the self-preserving buoyant turbulent plume.

Two aspects of unwanted fires were considered: (1) the optical properties of soot in the fuel-lean region of buoyant turbulent diffusion flames, and (2) the structure and mixing properties of buoyant turbulent plumes. The scattering, absorption and extinction properties of soot were measured for conditions where soot structure was known from earlier transmission electron microscopy measurements. The measurements were compared with predictions based on the Rayleigh-Debye-Gans (RDG) scattering approximation for polydisperse fractal aggregates.

Study investigates the radiation and mixing properties of buoyant turbulent diffusion flames, specifically the optical and radiative properties of soot and the structure and mixing properties of buoyant turbulent plumes.