Effect of fuel temperature on mixing characteristics of a kerosene jet injected into a cavity-based supersonic combustor

Abstract

To explain the phenomenon observed in previous experiments of kerosene-ignition failure in scramjet combustors as the kerosene temperature increases, we numerically investigate the mixing characteristics of a kerosene jet injected into a cavity-based supersonic combustor at different injection temperatures by using a compressible two-phase flow large-eddy simulation based on the Eulerian–Lagrangian approach. The results indicate that, upon injecting kerosene at high temperatures, the flow field preceding the leading edge of the cavity is similar to a typical gas jet in supersonic crossflow. The wall counter-rotating vortex pair (CVP) develops more fully and eventually becomes the main vortex pair. This evolution of the wall CVP modifies the cavity shear layer and alters the local flow-field characteristics near the cavity. Upon injecting kerosene at high temperatures, its evaporation rate increases sharply and the cavity recirculation zone enlarges, which causes more kerosene vapor to be entrained into the cavity. Because the kerosene-vapor temperature is lower than that of the low-speed fluid in the cavity, a significant amount of kerosene vapor entering the cavity not only makes the mass fraction of kerosene in the cavity exceed the fuel stoichiometric mass fraction but also reduces the temperature in the cavity, which negatively impacts the ignition process. The ignition delay time is much longer when the injection temperature is high, which is consistent with the inability of the initial flame kernel to form in the experiment.