Large Eddy Simulation Of Combustion Research Articles

LES and RANS Spray Combustion Analysis of OME3-5 and n-Dodecane

Clean-burning oxygenated and synthetic fuels derived from renewable power, so-called e-fuels, are a promising pathway to decarbonize compression–ignition engines. Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODEs or OMEs) are one candidate of such fuels with good prospects. Their lack of carbon-to-carbon bonds and high concentration of chemically bound oxygen effectively negate the emergence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and even their precursors like acetylene (C2H2), enabling soot-free combustion without the soot-NOx trade-off common for diesel engines. The differences in the spray combustion process for OMEs and diesel-like reference fuels like n-dodecane and their potential implications on engine applications include discrepancies in the observed ignition delay, the stabilized flame lift-off location, and significant deviations in high-temperature flame morphology. For CFD simulations, the accurate modeling and prediction of these differences between OMEs and n-dodecane proved challenging. This study investigates the spray combustion process of an OME3 − 5 mixture and n-dodecane with advanced optical diagnostics, Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS), and Large-Eddy Simulations (LESs) within a constant-volume vessel. Cool-flame and high-temperature combustion were measured simultaneously via high-speed (50 kHz) imaging with formaldehyde (CH2O) planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) representing the former and line-of-sight OH* chemiluminescence the latter. Both RANS and LES simulations accurately describe the cool-flame development process with the formation of CH2O. However, CH2O consumption and the onset of high-temperature reactions, signaled by the rise of OH* levels, show significant deviations between RANS, LES, and experiments as well as between n-dodecane and OME. A focus is set on the quality of the simulated results compared to the experimentally observed spatial distribution of OH*, especially in OME fuel-rich regions. The influence of the turbulence modeling is investigated for the two distinct ambient temperatures of 900 K and 1200 K within the Engine Combustion Network Spray A setup. The capabilities and limitations of the RANS simulations are demonstrated with the initial cool-flame propagation and periodic oscillations of CH2O formation/consumption during the quasi-steady combustion period captured by the LES.

A super-grid approach for LES combustion closure using the Linear Eddy Model

LES–LEM is a simulation approach for turbulent combustion in which the stochastic Linear Eddy Model (LEM) is used for sub-grid mixing and combustion closure in Large-Eddy Simulation (LES). LEM resolves, along a one-dimensional line, all spatial and temporal scales, provides on-the-fly local turbulent flame statistics, captures finite rate chemistry effects and directly incorporates turbulence-chemistry interaction. However, the approach is computationally expensive as it requires advancing an LEM-line in each LES cell. This paper introduces a novel turbulent combustion closure model for LES using LEM to address this issue. It involves coarse-graining the LES mesh to generate a coarse- level ‘super-grid’ comprised of cell-clusters. Each cell-cluster, instead of each LES cell, then contains a single LEM domain. This domain advances the combined advection–reaction–diffusion solution and also provides suitably conditioned statistics for thermochemical scalars such as species mass fractions. Local LES-filtered thermochemical states are then obtained by probability-density-function (PDF) weighted integration of binned conditionally averaged scalars, akin to standard presumed PDF approaches for reactive LES but with physics-based determination of the full thermochemical state for particular values of the conditioning variables. The proposed method is termed ‘super-grid LEM’ or ‘SG-LEM’. The paper describes LEM reaction–diffusion advancement, the LEM representation of turbulent advection, a novel splicing algorithm (a key feature of LES–LEM) formulated for the super-grid approach, a wall treatment, and a thermochemical LES closure procedure. To validate the proposed model, a pressure-based solver was developed using the OpenFOAM library and tested on a premixed ethylene flame stabilised over a backward facing step, a setup for which some DNS data is available. SG-LEM provides high resolution flame structures, temperature and mass fractions suitable for LES thermochemical closure. Additionally, it provides reaction-rate data at the coarse level, a unique feature compared to other mapping-type closure methods. Quantitative comparisons are made between the proposed model and time-averaged DNS data, focussing on velocity, temperature and species mass fraction. Results show good agreement downstream of the step. Furthermore, comparison with an equivalent Partially-Stirred Reactor (PaSR) simulation demonstrates the superior predictive capability of SG-LEM. Additionally, the paper briefly examines the sensitivity of the model to coarse-graining parameters and finally, explores computational efficiency highlighting the substantial speedup achieved when compared to the standard LES–LEM approach with potentially significant speedup relative to PaSR closure for the intensely turbulent regimes of principal interest.

Large Eddy Simulation of Combustion for High-Speed Airbreathing Engines

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) has rapidly developed into a powerful computational methodology for fluid dynamic studies, between Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) in both accuracy and cost. High-speed combustion applications, such as ramjets, scramjets, dual-mode ramjets, and rotating detonation engines, are promising propulsion systems, but also challenging to analyze and develop. In this paper, the building blocks needed to perform LES of high-speed combustion are reviewed. Modelling of the unresolved, subgrid terms in the filtered LES equations is highlighted. The main families of combustion models are presented, focusing on finite-rate chemistry models. The density-based finite volume method and the reaction mechanisms commonly employed in LES of high-speed H2-air combustion are briefly reviewed. Three high-speed combustor applications are presented: an experiment of supersonic flame stabilization behind a bluff body, a direct connect facility experiment as a transition case from ramjet to scramjet operation mode, and the STRATOFLY MR3 Small-Scale Flight Experiment. Several combinations of turbulence and combustion models are compared. Comparisons with experiments are also provided when available. Overall, the results show good agreement with experimental data (e.g., shock train, mixing, wall heat flux, transition from ramjet to scramjet operation mode).

An extended FGM model with transported PDF for LES of spray combustion

An enhanced flamelet generated manifold (FGM) model for large eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent spray combustion is presented. In the enhanced FGM model, a transported probability density function (TPDF) description of the FGM variables is employed. The TPDF is represented using the Eulerian stochastic fields (ESF) approach, and the method is applied to LES of spray combustion under conditions relevant to internal combustion engines. The new ESF/FGM method achieves an improved accuracy of predictions due to the ESF modelling of the subgrid-scale turbulence-chemistry interaction. It also achieves high computational efficiency due to the FGM tabulation of the chemical kinetic mechanism. The performance of the new ESF/FGM model is assessed by simulation of the Spray-A flames from Engine Combustion Network (ECN) and comparison of the results, firstly, with experimental measurements, and secondly, with conventional FGM model simulation results. It is shown that the ESF/FGM method is capable of predicting both global and local combustion characteristics, i.e., pressure rise, ignition delay time, flame lift-off length and the thermo-chemical structure of the spray flames with improved accuracy compared to the conventional FGM model that is based on the presumed PDF description of FGM variables. The sensitivity of the predictions using ESF/FGM to the number of stochastic fields is examined by varying the number of these fields in the range of 4–128. Furthermore, the influence of different FGM reaction progress variables on the simulations is investigated, and a new reaction progress variable based on the local consumption of oxygen is proposed. The results show that the new progress variable improves predictions of spray combustion, including the prediction of the start of injection, the quasi-steady state liftoff length, the post-injection oxidation, and the pressure evolution.

TU31. GENETIC CONTRIBUTION TO MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER HETEROGENEITY- FAMILY DESIGNS USING SWEDISH NATIONAL REGISTERS

The modeling of filtered chemical source terms in large-eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent reacting flows remains a challenge. Deconvolution methods are an attractive technique for representing these unclosed terms. With this technique, filtered scalars are reconstructed through deconvolution. The chemical source terms that are computed directly from the deconvolved scalars are filtered explicitly to represent the turbulence-chemistry interaction. However, the approximate deconvolution method (ADM), frequently employed for non-reacting flows, exhibits shortcomings for reacting scalars. This is because ADM does not ensure essential conservation and boundedness conditions. To address this issue, we propose a regularized deconvolution method (RDM) based on an optimization procedure. We conduct a priori and a posteriori analyses to examine RDM as a closure in LES. These investigations are performed in the context of explicit filtering. By showing that RDM is accurate and stable with respect to both the filter width and time, we conclude that the new deconvolution method shows promise in application to combustion LES.

LES of H2-air jet combustion in high enthalpy supersonic crossflow

Here, we report on large eddy simulation (LES) of supersonic flow, mixing, self-ignition, and combustion in a supersonic hydrogen jet in a crossflow configuration. The configuration has been experimentally investigated at Stanford and consists of a rectilinear channel with a ramp inlet in which a hydrogen jet discharges at a 90° angle to the high enthalpy supersonic crossflow. This configuration has been extensively studied by several research groups and constitutes a good validation case for model development and physics elucidation. The LES model used is based on an unstructured finite volume discretization of the filtered mass, momentum, species, and energy equations and an explicit flow solver. In this study, we investigate the effects of the jet-to-crossflow momentum ratio, the chemical reaction mechanism, and the combustion subgrid model by comparing predictions and by comparing with experimental data including OH* chemiluminescence images and jet penetration data. In general, good agreement is found but with some departures for the smallest reaction mechanisms and some of the LES combustion models. The LES results are also used to elucidate the flow, mixing, and combustion features of this configuration.

Subgrid Models, Reaction Mechanisms, and Combustion Models in Large-Eddy Simulation of Supersonic Combustion

Here, we report on large-eddy simulation (LES) of supersonic flow, mixing, self-ignition, and combustion in a model scramjet combustor. The combustor has been experimentally investigated at DLR, German Aerospace Center Lampoldshausen and consists of a one-sided divergent channel with a wedge-shaped flame-holder: at the base of which, hydrogen is injected. This combustor has been extensively studied by many research groups and constitutes a good validation case for model development and physics elucidation. The LES model used is based on an unstructured finite volume discretization of the filtered mass, momentum, species, and energy equations, as well as an explicit flow solver. Three subgrid flow models, three reaction mechanisms, and three LES combustion models are employed to examine the sensitivity to these modeling parameters. The LES predictions are compared with experimental data for velocity, temperature, wall pressure at different cross sections, as well as schlieren and OH chemiluminesence images, showing good agreement for both first- and second-order statistics, as well as the instantaneous flow structures. Furthermore, these LES results are used to illustrate and explain the intrinsic flow, mixing, and combustion features of this combustor. The intrinsic relationship between the different modeling parameters is also discussed.

Deep Residual Networks for Flamelet/progress Variable Tabulation with Application to a Piloted Flame with Inhomogeneous Inlet

ABSTRACT In this work, a deep neural network is presented which is trained on flamelet/progress variable (FPV) tables and validated in a combustion large eddy simulation (LES) of the Sydney/Sandia flame with inhomogeneous inlets. Using data scaling and transformation techniques, as well as novel network architectures as the residual skip connection we are able to store all combustion relevant quantities in one single network, thus reducing effectively the memory footprint compared to the FPV tables, while keeping data retrieval times similar to table interpolation. The accuracy of the deep neural networks (DNN) is compared to its FPV counterpart and achieves excellent agreement. The DNN is also able to accurately predict the stiff progress variable source term in the thin reaction zone. Finally, the DNN thermochemistry representation is validated in combustion simulations of a 2D laminar premixed flame and a 3D LES of the Sydney/Sandia piloted jet flame with inhomogeneous inlet. The DNN results are in very good agreement with the conventional tabulated FPV simulations and show a promising way to efficiently reduce the storage size of high dimensional pretabulated thermochemical state space in reactive flow simulations. Abbreviations: ANN: Artificial neural network; API: Application programming interface; CFD: Computational fluid dynamics; CFL: Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy; CPU: Central processing unit; DL: Deep learning; DNN: Deep neural network; FGM: Flamelet generated manifold; FLOPS: Floating point operation per second; FPV: Flamelet/progress variable; GPU: Graphics processing unit; HPC: High-performance computing; ILDM: Intrinsic low-dimensional manifold; LES: Large eddy simulation; MAE: Mean absolute error; MPI: Message passing interface; MSE: Mean squared error; PDF: Probability density function; SGS: Subgrid scale; SOM: Self-organizing map; TCI: Turbulence–chemistry interaction.

Reduction of RANS/LES combustion sub-models for quasi-dimensional spark ignition engine simulations and evaluation of the modelling assumptions with DNS

Despite the significant improvement of computational resources, large eddy simulations (LES) are too expensive to be applied to wide ranges of operating conditions and multiple engine architectures. Efficient models employed in quasi/zero-dimensional approaches may offer an attractive alternative for engine calibration or optimisation. Despite their fair predictive capability, validity is typically limited to around their calibration region and is subject to uncertainties that stem from heuristic simplifications. The validity of the individual sub-models is rarely assessed using detailed three-dimensional (3-D) simulations over a wide range of combustion regimes. The objectives of this work are the following: (i) to present a formal reduction of widely applied 3-D LES combustion sub-models found in the literature with particular emphasis on the early flame development and flame-wall interaction, (ii) to assess the assumptions/approximations introduced in quasi-dimensional (Q-D) modelling using Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS), and (iii) to refine the Q-D models used currently, using formally-derived sub-models.It is found that many of the refinements introduced noticeably improve the accuracy of the Q-D model. The functional form of the models obtained through formal reduction of various LES combustion sub-models presents similarities and agrees well with the heuristic functions that can be found in existing Q-D models. Ultimately, this study enhances the transferability of insights from fundamental investigations to real engine applications, which can be useful for future Q-D model development and validation.

Large Eddy Simulation of Combustion and Heat Transfer in a Single Element GCH4/GOx Rocket Combustor

The single element GCH4/GOx rocket combustion chamber developed at the Technische Universitat Munchen has been computed using Large Eddy Simulation. The aim of this work is to analyze the flow and combustion features at high pressure, with a particular focus on the prediction of wall heat flux, a key point for the development of reusable engines. The impact of the flow and flame, as well as of the model used, on thermal loads is investigated. Longitudinal distribution of wall heat flux, as well as chamber pressure, have been plotted against experimental data, showing a good agreement. The link between the heat released by the flame, the heat losses and the chamber pressure has been explained by performing an energetic balance of the combustion chamber. A thermally chained numerical simulation of the combustor structure has been used to validate the hypothesis used in the LES.

Flame stabilization of supersonic ethylene jet in fuel-rich hot coflow

The stability limit of a supersonic ethylene jet flame in a fuel-rich hot coflow was examined by investigating the influence of the injection pressure, which was varied from 2.0 atm to 4.5 atm, and of the equivalence ratio of the coflow, which was varied from 1.2 to 1.6. The flames were investigated with time-resolved chemiluminescence and schlieren images, as well as a large-eddy simulation of combustion. The results show that, with increasing injection pressure, the flame state changes from stable to unstable and blow-off, and the flame brush thickness, heat release, and height of coflow decrease. The flame stability limits decrease as the equivalence ratio of coflow increases. Lastly, a large-eddy simulation was performed to investigate the mechanism of flame stabilization, and the numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results. It was found that the stability of a supersonic flame is affected by the chemical time scale and flow time scale.

Development of a RANS Premixed Turbulent Combustion Model Based on the Algebraic Flame Surface Density Concept

Recently, a fractal-based algebraic flame surface density (FSD) premixed combustion model has been derived and validated in the context of large eddy simulation (LES). The fractal parameters in the model, namely the cut-off scales and the fractal dimension were derived using theoretical models, experimental and direct numerical simulation (DNS) databases. The model showed good performance in predicting the premixed turbulent flame propagation for low to high Reynold numbers (Re) in ambient as well as elevated pressure conditions. Several LES combustion models have a direct counterpart in the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) context. In this work, a RANS version of the aforementioned LES subgrid scale FSD combustion model is developed. The performance of the RANS model is compared with that of the original LES model and validated with the experimental data. It is found that the RANS version of the model shows similarly good agreement with the experimental data.

Comparison study on LES combustion models in diffusion flame

This study comparatively analyzes the calculation performances of different large-eddy simulation (LES) combustion models in a diffused flame simulation to investigate the performances of different LES-turbulent combustion models. The flamelet/progress variable (FPV), partially stirred reactor (PaSR), and transport joint possibility density function (PDF) combustion model are adopted to perform a numerical simulation analysis for Flame D in the Sandia Lab. The comparison between the calculation results and the test data shows that the three models can properly simulate the diffused flame. The transport PDF model based on the Eulerian stochastic field method can realize better results, especially the forecast for the intermediate radicals (OH) and the pollutant emissions (NO). However, the calculation volume is huge. The calculation speed and precision of PaSR are acceptable. The FPV method can save much CPU time, and has great value in engineering applications. (Less)

An Experimental and Simulation Study of Early Flame Development in a Homogeneous-charge Spark-Ignition Engine

An integrated experimental and Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) study is presented for homogeneous premixed combustion in a spark-ignition engine. The engine is a single-cylinder two-valve optical research engine with transparent liner and piston: the Transparent Combustion Chamber (TCC) engine. This is a relatively simple, open engine configuration that can be used for LES model development and validation by other research groups. Pressure-based combustion analysis, optical diagnostics and LES have been combined to generate new physical insight into the early stages of combustion. The emphasis has been on developing strategies for making quantitative comparisons between high-speed/high-resolution optical diagnostics and LES using common metrics for both the experiments and the simulations, and focusing on the important early flame development period. Results from two different LES turbulent combustion models are presented, using the same numerical methods and computational mesh. Both models yield Cycle-to-Cycle Variations (CCV) in combustion that are higher than what is observed in the experiments. The results reveal strengths and limitations of the experimental diagnostics and the LES models, and suggest directions for future diagnostic and simulation efforts. In particular, it has been observed that flame development between the times corresponding to the laminar-to-turbulent transition and 1% mass-burned fraction are especially important in establishing the subsequent combustion event for each cycle. This suggests a range of temporal and spatial scales over which future experimental and simulation efforts should focus.

Assessment of Finite Rate Chemistry Large Eddy Simulation Combustion Models

Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of a swirl-stabilized natural gas-air flame in a laboratory gas turbine combustor is performed using six different LES combustion models to provide a head-to-head comparative study. More specifically, six finite rate chemistry models, including the thickened flame model, the partially stirred reactor model, the approximate deconvolution model and the stochastic fields model have been studied. The LES predictions are compared against experimental data including velocity, temperature and major species concentrations measured using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), OH Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (OH-PLIF), OH chemiluminescence imaging and one-dimensional laser Raman scattering. Based on previous results a skeletal methane-air reaction mechanism based on the well-known Smooke and Giovangigli mechanism was used in this work. Two computational grids of about 7 and 56 million cells, respectively, are used to quantify the influence of grid resolution. The overall flow and flame structures appear similar for all LES combustion models studied and agree well with experimental still and video images. Takeno flame index and chemical explosives mode analysis suggest that the flame is premixed and resides within the thin reaction zone. The LES results show good agreement with the experimental data for the axial velocity, temperature and major species, but differences due to the choice of LES combustion model are observed and discussed. Furthermore, the intrinsic flame structure and the flame dynamics are similarly predicted by all LES combustion models examined. Within this range of models, there is no strong case for deciding which model performs the best.

Large Eddy Simulation of a premixed bluff body stabilized flame using global and skeletal reaction mechanisms

The increasing computational capacity in recent years has spurred the growing use of combustion Large Eddy Simulation (LES) for engineering applications. The modeling of the subgrid stress and flux terms is well-established in LES, whereas the modeling of the filtered reaction rate terms is under intense development. The significance of the reaction mechanism is well documented, but only a few computational studies have so far been conducted with the aim of studying the influence of the reaction mechanism on the predicted flow and flame. Such an investigation requires the availability of well documented, thoroughly tested, and accurate reaction mechanisms suitable for use in practical engineering simulations. Global and detailed reaction mechanisms are available for many fuel mixtures, whereas skeletal reaction mechanisms suitable for LES are in rather short supply. This research attempts to close this gap by using combustion LES to examine a well-known bluff-body stabilized premixed propane–air flame using two well-known global reaction mechanisms and a novel skeletal reaction mechanism, developed as part of this study. These reaction mechanisms are studied for laminar flames, and comparison with experimental data and detailed reaction mechanisms demonstrates that the skeletal mechanism shows improved agreement with respect to all parameters studied, in particular the laminar flame speed and the extinction strain rate. The LES results reveal that the choice of the reaction mechanism does not significantly influence the instantaneous or time-averaged velocity, whereas the instantaneous and time-averaged species and temperature are influenced. The agreement with the experimental data increases with increased fidelity of the reaction mechanism, and the skeletal reaction mechanism provides a more realistic basis for e.g. emission predictions.

Regularized deconvolution method for turbulent combustion modeling

The modeling of filtered chemical source terms in large-eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent reacting flows remains a challenge. Deconvolution methods are an attractive technique for representing these unclosed terms. With this technique, filtered scalars are reconstructed through deconvolution. The chemical source terms that are computed directly from the deconvolved scalars are filtered explicitly to represent the turbulence-chemistry interaction. However, the approximate deconvolution method (ADM), frequently employed for non-reacting flows, exhibits shortcomings for reacting scalars. This is because ADM does not ensure essential conservation and boundedness conditions. To address this issue, we propose a regularized deconvolution method (RDM) based on an optimization procedure. We conduct a priori and a posteriori analyses to examine RDM as a closure in LES. These investigations are performed in the context of explicit filtering. By showing that RDM is accurate and stable with respect to both the filter width and time, we conclude that the new deconvolution method shows promise in application to combustion LES.

Survey of Turbulent Combustion Models for Large-Eddy Simulations of Propulsive Flowfields

A general review of turbulent combustion modeling closures applicable to large eddy simulations (LES) is provided. The focus is on “regime-independent” models able to provide turbulent combustion closures ranging from purely premixed to purely non-premixed and all regimes between these two limits. Special emphasis is placed on primary propulsion applications, including liquid rocket engines, diesel engines, gas turbines, and scramjets. These applications span a large range of physical phenomena including both idealand real-gas behavior, single-phase and multi-phase combustion, relatively low Mach number to supersonic and hypersonic combustion, and relatively simple geometries to highly complex geometries. Three classes of models are identified as possibly providing such broad based modeling closures: flamelet-library/presumed probability density function (PDF) models, linear eddy based models (LEM), and transported PDF or filtered density function (FDF) based models. This review focuses both on fundamental physical assumptions that apply across all of the models and assumptions that apply to each of the models individually. Namely, assumptions regarding the presumed size of the large dimensional turbulent scalar manifold apply to all of the models; however, flamelet models almost always presume only a few dimensions are necessary to yield adequate representation of the larger, turbulent manifold. In contrast, LEM and FDF models are not, in theory, bound by any manifold size assumptions (i.e. direct calculation of the turbulent scalar manifold is possible); however, due to current computational limitations, these models often employ manifold reduction techniques which are usually not as restrictive as those used by flamelet models. Individual assumptions associated with the specific formulation of each model are also analyzed. From these discussions, additional novel results testing some of the fundamental physical assumptions associated with each model are provided from a unique database of DNS of high pressure turbulent reacting temporally developing shear flames. The DNS database includes simulations of H2/O2, H2/Air, and Kerosene/Air flames with both detailed and reduced chemistry. The DNS include real property models, a real-gas equation of state, and generalized heat and mass diffusion derived from non-equilibrium thermodynamics. The simulations span a large range of Reynolds numbers and pressures (up to 125 atm), with resolutions approaching 1 billion grid points. Finally, some general comments towards the future challenges related to LES combustion modeling are offered.

LES combustion modeling using the Eulerian stochastic field method coupled with tabulated chemistry

In this work a transported joint scalar probability density function method is combined with the flamelet generated manifolds (FGM) tabulated chemistry approach for large eddy simulation (LES) modeling of turbulent combustion. This strategy accounts for the turbulence-chemistry interaction at reasonable computational costs and allows the usage of detailed chemistry information by tabulation. Apart from the details regarding the solution procedure, a technique for an improved stability of the proposed approach is introduced and validated using a one-dimensional test case. Next, a two-dimensional flame configuration is considered in order to perform an in-depth analysis regarding the laminar and turbulent behavior of the model. Here, transient and time-averaged simulation data is used to provide insight into the predicted flame shape and its dynamics, where the implemented approach is compared with the well-established artificially thickened flame (ATF) combustion model. Moreover, the sensitivity of the results to different modeling approaches and model parameters is investigated. Finally, the method is applied to a three-dimensional turbulent stratified burner. Here, in addition to the ATF model, the suggested approach is compared to measurements of the velocity and scalar quantities to evaluate its prediction capability. Consequently, the investigation conducted in this work aims to provide a complete picture on the ability of the proposed method to reproduce the flame propagation and the resulting flow conditions within complex premixed and stratified turbulent flames.

Prediction of Global Extinction Conditions and Dynamics in Swirling Non-premixed Flames Using LES/CMC Modelling

The Large Eddy Simulation (LES)/three-dimensional Conditional Moment Closure (CMC) model with detailed chemistry is applied to predict the operating condition and dynamics of complete extinction (blow-off) in swirling non-premixed methane flames. Using model constants previously selected to provide relatively accurate predictions of the degree of local extinction in the piloted jet flames Sandia D −F, the error in the blow-off air velocity predicted by LES/3D-CMC in short, recirculating flames with strong swirl for a range of fuel flow rates is within 25 % of the experimental value, which is considered a new and promising result for combustion LES that has not been applied before for the prediction of the whole blow-off curve in complex geometries. The results also show that during the blow-off transient, the total heat release gradually decreases over a duration that agrees well with experiment. The evolution of localized extinction, reactive scalars and scalar dissipation rate is analyzed. It has been observed that a consistent symptom for flames approaching blow-off is the appearance of high-frequency and high-magnitude fluctuations of the conditionally filtered stoichiometric scalar dissipation rate, resulting in an increased fraction of local extinction over the stoichiometric mixture fraction iso-surfaces. It is also shown that the blow-off time changes with the different blow-off conditions.