A DNS Study of Sensitivity of Scaling Exponents for Premixed Turbulent Consumption Velocity to Transient Effects

Abstract

3D Direct Numerical Simulations of propagation of a single-reaction wave in forced, statistically stationary, homogeneous, isotropic, and constant-density turbulence, which is not affected by the wave, are performed in order to investigate the influence of the wave development on scaling (power) exponents for the turbulent consumption velocity UT as a function of the rms turbulent velocity u′, laminar wave speed SL, and a ratio L11/δF of the longitudinal turbulence length scale L11 to the laminar wave thickness δF. Fifteen cases characterized by u′/SL = 0.5,1.0,2.0,5.0, or 10.0 and L11/δF = 2.1, 3.7, or 6.7 are studied. Obtained results show that, while UT is well and unambiguously defined in the considered simplest case of a statistically 1D planar turbulent reaction wave, the wave development can significantly change the scaling exponents. Moreover, the scaling exponents depend on a method used to compare values of UT, i.e., the scaling exponents found by processing the DNS data obtained at the same normalized wave-development time may be substantially different from the scaling exponents found by processing the DNS data obtained at the same normalized wave size. These results imply that the scaling exponents obtained from premixed turbulent flames of different configurations may be different not only due to the well-known effects of the mean-flame-brush curvature and the mean flow non-uniformities, but also due to the flame development, even if the different flames are at the same stage of their development. The emphasized transient effects can, at least in part, explain significant scatter of the scaling exponents obtained by various research groups in different experiments, thus, implying that the scatter in itself is not sufficient to reject the notion of turbulent burning velocity.