Direct numerical simulation of particle-laden turbulent boundary layers without and with combustion

Abstract

In the present work, direct numerical simulations of non-reactive and reactive turbulent boundary layers laden with inert particles were performed to investigate the influences of combustion on particle motions in wall-bounded flows. It was found that the coherent vortical structures of turbulent boundary layers are significantly modified by combustion. The streamwise velocity of particles is enhanced, while the velocity fluctuation is reduced in the reactive case due to the relaminarization effects. The preferential concentration of particles in the reactive case was found to be attenuated based on both visualization and the Voronoi analysis. The particle concentration in the outer layer of the reactive case is reduced because of the thermal expansion effects. However, the concentration is increased in the near-wall regions. The quadrant analysis of the Reynolds stress component was applied to explain this behavior. It was revealed that the magnitude of the mean Reynolds stress component is attenuated as a result of relaminarization. The frequency of the sweep event is increased but that of the injection event is reduced in the near-wall regions, which is responsible for the high particle concentration near the wall of the reactive case. The present study improves fundamental understandings of particle behaviors in non-reactive and reactive turbulent boundary layers.