Heat-release dynamics in a doubly-transcritical LO2/LCH4 cryogenic coaxial jet flame subjected to fuel inflow acoustic modulation

Abstract

Large Eddy Simulations are used to study the heat-release response to fuel inflow acoustic harmonic oscillations, in a coaxial jet flame where both reactants (O2 and CH4) are injected in a dense cryogenic state. The geometry is that of the academic test rig Mascotte, operated by ONERA (France), which high pressure operating conditions are relevant for the characterization of flame dynamics in Liquid Rocket Engines (LREs). The simulations, which are carried out with a real-gas fluid solver using a detailed kinetic scheme for CH4 high-pressure oxycombustion, provide a thorough insight into the flame response for a wide range of forcing frequencies, spanning from approximately 1kHz to 20kHz. Local Flame Transfer Functions (FTF) are computed and analyzed: regions of preferential heat-release response are observed to be highly dependent on the forcing frequency. An analysis based on a flame sheet assumption is conducted to distinguish the main sources of heat release fluctuations: the primary contribution comes from the species diffusivity oscillations, while the density variations have a negligible effect. The second largest contributor is either the mixture fraction gradient or the flame surface area, depending on the forcing frequency. The FTFs are expected to be useful for thermoacoustic Low-Order Models or Helmholtz solvers, and the subsequent analysis has the potential to guide future development of analytical models for flame dynamics in LREs.