A novel Swiss-roll micro-combustor with double combustion chambers: A numerical investigation on effect of solid material on premixed CH4/air flame blow-off limit

Abstract

A novel Swiss-roll micro-combustor with double combustion chambers is proposed to improve flame stability and extend blow-off limits. This study is aimed to numerically investigate the effect of solid material (i.e., SiC, stainless steel and copper) on premixed CH4/air flame blow-off limit and reveal the flame stability mechanism. The simulated results show that this developed novel Swiss-roll micro-combustor not only can significantly anchor the flame owing to the flow recirculation behind the flame holders and the backward-facing steps, but also can further extend CH4 blow-off limits owing to heat recirculation in the long Swiss-roll preheating channels. The three solid material micro-combustors present the relatively slight difference in the recirculation-zone size but the remarkably difference in heat recirculation and heat loss. Good heat recirculation and low heat loss rate are the dominant reason that is responsible for the differences of the blow-off limits in this micro-combustor. The stainless steel micro-combustor achieves the highest blow-off limits while the copper micro-combustor achieves the lowest blow-off limit. These deep insights can give some useful information to design a similar Swiss-roll micro-combustor.