26 - Computational fluid dynamics simulations of reacting flows

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of the numerical tools used in the simulation of turbulent reacting flows. The key concepts and equations underlying premixed turbulent combustion are introduced for the general reader. A key challenge with the numerical simulation of turbulent flows is the large range of scales of motion at high Reynolds numbers. Numerically computing direct solutions is usually computationally prohibitively expensive, especially for practical applications involving flows at high Reynolds numbers. In addition, the presence of nonlinear chemical reactions at length and time scales smaller than the dissipative scales of turbulence exacerbate this issue. In this chapter, the three basic numerical frameworks, namely, direct numerical simulation, Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes, and large eddy simulation for simulating premixed turbulent combustion are introduced and discussed in the context of premixed turbulent combustion. The concepts introduced are discussed only to the extent to familiarize the reader with the basic approaches for computational methods for premixed turbulent combustion to prepare them for obtaining a deeper understanding and application of the discussed frameworks.