Abstract Acoustic-flame coupling technology is an interdisciplinary frontier field investigating the complex interactions between sound waves and combustion. Generally, the acoustic field can be divided into two modes based on its relative position to the flame: transverse and longitudinal acoustic excitation. Directionally distinct acoustic perturbations produce fundamentally different effects on flame dynamics, enabling the development of innovative technologies and research methodologies. Leveraging the unique characteristics of transverse acoustic excitation facilitates fire suppression technologies, soot control techniques, and mitigation of transverse thermoacoustic instabilities in combustion chambers. Conversely, flames under longitudinal acoustic excitation typically exhibit highly symmetry, making this mode particularly suitable for theoretical model development and fundamental combustion research. The improved combustion efficiency of solid fuels under longitudinal excitation has further driven applications of acoustic-assisted combustion technology in pulverized coal burners. Additionally, applying sound waves during combustion reduces pollutant emissions at the source, while post-combustion acoustic implementation enables agglomeration technology for efficient coal-fired fly ash removal from flue gas. This review comprehensively examined the effects of acoustic fields on combustion and their extended applications, outlined the mechanisms by which acoustic fields influence flame dynamics, and summarized research advances in acoustic fire suppression, pollutant control technologies, thermoacoustic instability mitigation, and combustion model development. Meanwhile, it concluded with a summary of the major conclusions drawn from the literature works and examined future research directions for acoustic-flame coupling technology.
Su et al. (Wed,) studied this question.