Modeling the boundary-layer flashback of premixed hydrogen-enriched swirling flames at high pressures

Abstract

We model the boundary-layer flashback (BLF) of CH4/H2/air swirling flames via large-eddy simulations with the flame-surface-density method (LES-FSD), in particular, at high pressures. A local displacement speed model tabulating the stretched flame speed is employed to account for the thermo-diffusive effects, flame surface curvature, and heat loss in LES-FSD. The LES-FSD well captures the propagation characteristics during the BLF of swirling flames. In the LES-FSD for lean CH4/H2/air flames at 2.5 bar, the critical equivalence ratio for flashback decreases with the increasing hydrogen volume fraction, consistent with the experiments. This is due to the improved modeling of effects of the flame stretch and heat loss on the local displacement speed. We also develop a simple model to predict the BLF limits of swirling flames. The model estimates the critical bulk velocity for given reactants and swirl number, via the balance between the flame-induced pressure rise and adverse pressure for boundary-layer separation. We validate the model against 14 datasets of CH4/H2/air swirling flame experiments, with the hydrogen volume fractions in fuel from 50% to 100%. The present model well estimates the flashback limits in various operating conditions.