Computational and Experimental Analysis of SPICE Data Sets

This ground investigation sought to increase understanding of the issues that control the large discrepancy between soot formation in 1g and in 0g flames. The objective of this investigation was to integrate computational and experimental methods to derive temperature distributions and soot volume fractions from the Smoke Point in Coflow Experiment (SPICE) data available in PSI. By analyzing over 1600 raw DSLR images and incorporating advanced soot models, the study sought to improve understanding of soot formation, oxidation, radiative re-absorption, and aggregate growth in heavily sooting flames. The work further aimed to reconcile microgravity and normal gravity flame behavior, identify key physical and chemical processes influencing smoke point development, and provide a framework for evaluating model parameter sensitivity.