Combustion Laboratory
CSE has extensive experience, expertise and the necessary facilities to test, develop and quantify the performance of combustion and flow systems. With well over a hundred years of combined experience in experimental combustion, heat transfer and fluid mechanics, CSE personnel have studied a multitude of different combustion, fire and flow systems. Flow properties, such as pressure, temperature, chemical composition, heat release rate and a host of other important variables can be characterized in our laboratories.
Laboratory Facilities
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Six conditioned lab spaces for bench-scale experiments (approximately 1500 sq. ft)
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Three indoor unconditioned lab spaces for larger scale experiments (approximately 5000 sq. ft.)
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Two laser / optical diagnostics laboratories (vibration-isolated tables etc.)
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Working agreements with outside laboratories / testing facilities for specialized /large-scale experiments,
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Exhaust systems capable of venting fires up to 400 kW (larger heat release fires can be handled at nearby facility)
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High-Pressure Vessel (Bench-scale):
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Pressures up to 20 atm for combustion and non-combustion experimentation
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Water-jacketed and capable of monitoring steady state combustion for extended time periods
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Includes optical access and water-cooled emissions sampling
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High-Temperature Flow Reactor Facility
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Multiple flow-reactors providing a wide range of experimental conditions and capabilities
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Temperatures up to 1250 K and pressures ranging from 0.5 to 20 atm
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Ability to analyze gaseous, liquid and solid fuels for combustion and pyrolytic reactions
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Variable “air” and diluent compositions including products of combustion (CO, CO2, H2O, and NOx)
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Precision-controlled oven with ramping ability for elevated temperature and self-heating experiments
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Gaseous and liquid heating capabilities for liquid fuel vaporization and process analysis
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Machining and fabrication capabilities (turning, milling and welding) on-site as well as relationships with multiple machine and fabrication shops to provide smaller and larger scale custom parts and components
Flow Capabilities
The size of combustion experiments is typically limited by air flow capacity. CSE has two in-house air sources high-flow N2 available:
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Atmospheric pressure blower:
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1.25 lbs/sec (0.56 kg /s)
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Compressed air:
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24 SCFM (1.8 lbs/min) @ 150 psig
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6 SCFM (0.5 lbs/min) @ 250 psig
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Nitrogen (from liquid N2 Laser-Pak)
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8800 SCF Capacity up to 500 psig
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50 SCFM delivery
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Additional calibration, process gases and gaseous fuels are stored on-site in high-pressure gas cylinders.
Large capacity storage, e.g., tube-trailers, can be placed on the premises for larger scale testing and extended time frames.
Liquid fuels are stored on-site, either indoors or in a specified liquid storage container.
Instrumentation
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GC/MS and GC/BID
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Liquid and gaseous analysis
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Heated, multi-unit sampling and delivery system
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Gas Analyzers:
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CO2 (NDIR)
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CO (NDIR)
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O2 (Paramagnetic)
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NOx (Chemiluminescence)
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THC (FID)
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FTIR
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Spectrometers:
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0.5 meter path length with 2-D CCD Array
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7-channel Fiber-Coupled
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Light Sources:
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Broadband Ultraviolet
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ND*YAG (532 nm) pulsed laser
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He-Ne (633 and 3.39 μm) CW laser
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Mass / Volumetric Flow Rates
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Heat Flux
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Temperature
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Digital and High-speed Video
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Particle Concentration Sensors
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Acceleration Sensors
If your sector could benefit from our expertise and you’d like to hire us for your next project, please get in touch.