Existing　designs　of　small-scale　burners　and　domestic　cookers　have　relied　on　open　flame,　where　a　large　amount　of　heat　is　lost　with　flue　gas.　Flue　Gas　Recirculation　(FGR)　has　been　an　effective　technique　for　energy　saving　for　large-scale　industrial　furnaces.　Against　this　background,　an　experimental　study　was　conducted　to　investigate　the　thermal,　emission　and　heating　performance　of　CH4-H-2/air　flames　in　terms　of　their　dependence　on　both　dilution　effect　(CO2　and　N-2)　and　preheat　effect　(initial　reactant　temperature　from　20　degrees　C　to　100　degrees　C).　Testing　of　flame　stability　showed　detrimental　and　favorable　effects　of　dilution　and　preheat,　respectively.　Examination　of　flame　height　showed　that　under　constant　Re　and　Phi,　the　reaction　cone　is　shorter　at　higher　initial　reactant　temperature,　indicative　of　enhanced　burning　velocity　caused　by　preheat.　Emission　of　CO　and　NOx　was　monotonically　increased　as　the　result　of　higher　flame　temperature　due　to　preheat.　The　key　question　whether　flame　heating　performance　can　be　promoted　or　not　is　answered　by　detailed　analysis　of　the　radial　heat　flux　configurations.　The　data　reveals　that　the　combined　effects　of　dilution　and　preheat　indeed　induce　higher　heat　transfer　rate,　thus　theoretical　evidence　is　provided　for　feasibility　of　adoption　of　FGR　in　domestic　cookers.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.