The blue whirl flame was accidentally discovered a couple of years ago, but what exactly is it?
Blue Fire Tornado
During this time, scientists were examining a dangerous flame type that is dangerous enough to turn into devastating fire tornadoes that can wreak havoc but can also be used for power generation or oil spill cleaning.
It was then observed that something new emerged out of the sooty flames. This was a dancing, clean, and pure blue fire twist. Scientists were then able to use stimulations for replicating the blue flame. Doing so has enabled them to know more about its structure.
The researchers note that a primary question in combustion theory was posed by the mysterious blue whirl. This question pertained to the blue fire tornado's flame structure. It is only when the structure of the blue whirl is understood that it can be tamed, scaled, and created.
Fire whirls are generated when both fire and wind combine to form a flame vortex. The properties of the swirl boost the combustion efficiency of the flame and lower its emission rate. This made scientists think that it could be used for cleaning up oil spills.
The emergence of the blue whirl left them even more intrigued. Flame typically burns in a yellow color because of the blackbody emissions of soot particles that are radiated. Soot is also only present when oxygen in a fire is not sufficient enough to burn the present fuel. Hence, a violet or blue flame is one that burns up fuel with total efficiency.
As scientists performed procedures and simulations, they were able to simulate a flame that was close to the actual blue whirl. This then revealed that the blue fire tornado actually consists of three flames mixed together to form the blue whirl, which is the fourth type of flame.
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A Mix of Three Flames
At the bottom of the flame under the blue ring is a premixed flame that is riched. This flame has a mix of fuel and oxidizers, with the former being excess compared to the oxidizer. At the top part over the bright ring is a diffuse flame, where the oxidizer and fuel are both separate. Outside of the diffuse flame is a lean premixed flame, where oxidizer is more compared to fuel.
The ring is the fourth flame, and it is where the three flames are mixed together to form a triple flame. This is also known as a stoichiometric premixed flame, wherein fuel and oxidizers are present in the right amounts for total combustion.
While this information may not translate fast, it is crucial to knowing how blue whirls can come in handy.
Fossil fuels are mainly based on hydrocarbons. However, several governments are still taking their time when it comes to transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable and clean energy. While there are issues to address first, harnessing blue whirl flames for energy may potentially help with this transition.
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