Flames in space promise better engines on Earth

The discovery was made during a series of experiments on the International Space Station by a team led by Forman Williams, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, San Diego. Researchers detailed their findings in Microgravity Science and Technology.

‘We observed something that we didn’t think could exist,’ Williams said in a statement.

A better understanding of the cool flames’ chemistry could help improve internal combustion engines in cars, for example by developing homogenous-charge compression ignition that could potentially lead to engines that burn fuel at cooler temperatures, emitting fewer pollutants while still being efficient.

During the experiments, researchers ignited large droplets of heptane fuel. Initially, the flames looked as if they’d been extinguished - as they would have on Earth - but sensors showed that the heptane was still burning, although the resulting cool flames were invisible to the eye.