Effects of infinitely fast chemistry on combustion behavior of coaxial diffusion flame predicted by large eddy simulation

• Published in: Fuel processing technology 2020-03, Vol.199, p.106226, Article 106226
• Main Authors: Akaotsu, Shota, Ozawa, Ryoma, Matsushita, Yohsuke, Aoki, Hideyuki, Malalasekera, Weeratunge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Combustion; Combustion chambers; Combustion products; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer simulation; Design optimization; Diffusion rate; Eddy break up model; Flame structure; Flamelet/progress variable model; Gas temperature; Large eddy simulation; Lookup tables; Organic chemistry; Reaction kinetics; Turbulent combustion; Vortices
• ISSN: 0378-3820; 1873-7188
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2019.106226

Large eddy simulations (LES) based on turbulent combustion models aid the design and optimization of combustors. Of the various combustion models available, the eddy break up (EBU) model is widely used because it assumes an infinitely fast chemistry. However, omitting the actual chemical kinetics can cause unexpected behavior, and the characteristics of the combustion models need to be elucidated. Here, the effects of an infinitely fast chemistry on the combustion behavior of a coaxial diffusion flame as predicted by an LES were analyzed. Although the EBU model captured the overall behavior of the chemical species as well as the flow field, the gas temperature and mass fractions of the combustion products in the mixing region of the fuel and oxidizer streams were overestimated. In contrast, the flamelet/progress variable (FPV) model yielded results that were in better agreement with the experimental data, because while the EBU model assumes an infinitely fast chemistry, the look-up tables used in the FPV model are based on the actual chemical kinetics. As these models can be used for the CFD simulations of coal and spray combustion, the results of this study should be useful for efficiently simulating practical combustion systems. •Large eddy simulation of coaxial diffusion flame is performed.•Eddy break up model overestimates mass fractions of chemical products.•It also overestimates gas temperature.•Flamelet/progress-variable model captures slow progress of chemical reactions.•Flame index suggests coexistence of premixed and nonpremixed modes.