An Examination of Cross Correlation Velocimetry’s Ability to Predict Characteristic Turbulent Length Scales in Fire Induced Flow

Since the early 1970’s Cross Correlation Velocimetry (CCV) has been used to measure velocity of turbulent flows. This study explores the use of the cross correlation coefficient decay towards estimation of characteristic turbulent length scales typically found in a fire. To test the theory, experiments were performed in a turbulent free jet and a natural gas fire plume. The experiments showed that CCV measurements were comparable to the velocity decay obtained using Laser Doppler Anemometer (LDA). Ultimately, a prototype probe was developed that could measure temperature, velocity, and flow width simultaneously in the plume of a natural gas burner. This allows for a direct estimation of the mass flow in a fire plume. 1