Fuel Variation Effects in Propagation and Stabilization of Turbulent Counter-Flow Premixed Flames

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Abbasi-Atibeh ◽  
Sandeep Jella ◽  
Jeffrey M. Bergthorson
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Mass Diffusion ◽  
Flame Stabilization ◽  
Turbulent Flames ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Flame Surface ◽  
Differential Diffusion ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed

Sensitivity to stretch and differential diffusion of chemical species are known to influence premixed flame propagation, even in the turbulent environment where mass diffusion can be greatly enhanced. In this context, it is convenient to characterize flames by their Lewis number (Le), a ratio of thermal-to-mass diffusion. The work reported in this paper describes a study of flame stabilization characteristics when the Le is varied. The test data is comprised of Le ≪ 1 (Hydrogen), Le ≈ 1 (Methane), and Le > 1 (Propane) flames stabilized at various turbulence levels. The experiments were carried out in a Hot exhaust Opposed-flow Turbulent Flame Rig (HOTFR), which consists of two axially-opposed, symmetric turbulent round jets. The stagnation plane between the two jets allows the aerodynamic stabilization of a flame, and clearly identifies fuel influences on turbulent flames. Furthermore, high-speed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), using oil droplet seeding, allowed simultaneous recordings of velocity (mean and rms) and flame surface position. These experiments, along with data processing tools developed through this study, illustrated that in the mixtures with Le ≪ 1, turbulent flame speed increases considerably compared to the laminar flame speed due to differential diffusion effects, where higher burning rates compensate for the steepening average velocity gradient, and keeps these flames almost stationary as bulk flow velocity increases. These experiments are suitable for validating the ability of turbulent combustion models to predict lifted, aerodynamically-stabilized flames. In the final part of this paper, we model the three fuels at two turbulence intensities using the FGM model in a RANS context. Computations reveal that the qualitative flame stabilization trends reproduce the effects of turbulence intensity, however, more accurate predictions are required to capture the influences of fuel variations and differential diffusion.

Fuel Variation Effects in Propagation and Stabilization of Turbulent Counter-Flow Premixed Flames

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Abbasi-Atibeh ◽  
Sandeep Jella ◽  
Jeffrey M. Bergthorson
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Mass Diffusion ◽  
Flame Stabilization ◽  
Turbulent Flames ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Flame Surface ◽  
Differential Diffusion ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed

Sensitivity to stretch and differential diffusion of chemical species are known to influence premixed flame propagation, even in the turbulent environment where mass diffusion can be greatly enhanced. In this context, it is convenient to characterize flames by their Lewis number (Le), a ratio of thermal-to-mass diffusion. The work reported in this paper describes a study of flame stabilization characteristics when Le is varied. The test data are comprised of Le≪1 (hydrogen), Le≈1 (methane), and Le>1 (propane) flames stabilized at various turbulence levels. The experiments were carried out in a hot exhaust opposed-flow turbulent flame rig (HOTFR), which consists of two axially opposed, symmetric jets. The stagnation plane between the two jets allows the aerodynamic stabilization of a flame and clearly identifies fuel influences on turbulent flames. Furthermore, high-speed particle image velocimetry (PIV), using oil droplet seeding, allowed simultaneous recordings of velocity (mean and rms) and flame surface position. These experiments, along with data processing tools developed through this study, illustrated that in the mixtures with Le≪1, turbulent flame speed increases considerably compared to the laminar flame speed due to differential diffusion effects, where higher burning rates compensate for the steepening average velocity gradient and keeps these flames almost stationary as bulk flow velocity increases. These experiments are suitable for validating the ability of turbulent combustion models to predict lifted, aerodynamically stabilized flames. In the final part of this paper, we model the three fuels at two turbulence intensities using the flamelet generated manifolds (FGM) model in a Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) context. Computations reveal that the qualitative flame stabilization trends reproduce the effects of turbulence intensity; however, more accurate predictions are required to capture the influences of fuel variations and differential diffusion.

The structure and propagation of turbulent flames

1975 ◽  
Vol 344 (1637) ◽  
pp. 217-234 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Combustion Zone ◽  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Burning Velocity ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Flame Structure ◽  
Turbulent Flames ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Turbulence Scale ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed

The influence of turbulence intensity, scale and vorticity on burning velocity and flame structure is examined by using premixed propane-air mixtures supplied at atmospheric pressure to a combustion chamber 31cm long and lOcmx 10 cm cross-section. The chamber is fitted with transparent side walls to permit flame observations and schlieren photography. Control over the turbulence level is achieved by means of grids located upstream of the combustion zone. By suitable modifications to grid geometry and flow velocity, it is possible to vary turbulence intensity and scale independently within the combustion zone in such a manner that their separate effects on burning velocity and flame structure are readily distinguished. From analysis of the results obtained three distinct regions may be identified, each having different characteristics in regard to the effect of scale on turbulent burning velocity. For each region a mechanism of turbulent flame propagation is proposed which describes the separate influences on burning velocity of turbulence intensity, turbulence scale, laminar flame speed and flame thickness. The arguments presented in support of this 3-region model are substantiated by the experimental data and by the pictorial evidence on flame structure provided by the schlieren photographs. This model also sheds light on some of the characteristics which turbulent flames have in common with laminar flames when the latter are subjected to pressure and velocity fluctuations. Finally the important role of vorticity is examined and it is found that turbulent flame speed is highest when the rate of production of vorticity is equal to about half the rate of viscous dissipation.

Correlations for Turbulent Flame Speed of Different Syngas Mixtures at High Pressure and Temperature

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Daniele ◽  
P. Jansohn
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Fuel Mixture ◽  
Turbulent Flames ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed ◽  
Combustion Properties

There is an obvious lack of data and understanding of the behavior of turbulent flames at high temperature and high pressure, especially concerning hydrogen containing fuels. Among the many relevant parameters, the turbulent flame speed “ST” is one of the most interesting for scientists and engineers. This paper reports an experimental investigation of premixed syngas combustion at gas-turbine like conditions, with emphasis on the determination of ST/SL derived as global fuel consumption per unit time. Experiments at pressures up to 2.00 MPa, inlet temperatures and velocities up to 773K and 150 m/s respectively, u′/SL greater than 100 are presented. Comparison between different syngas mixtures and methane clearly show much higher ST/SL for the former fuel. It is shown that ST/SL is strongly dependent on preferential diffusive-thermal (PDT) effects, co-acting with hydrodynamic effects, even for very high u′/SL. ST/SL increases with rising hydrogen content in the fuel mixture and with pressure. A correlation for ST/SL valid for all investigated fuel mixtures, including methane, is proposed in terms of turbulence properties (turbulence intensity and integral length scale), combustion properties (laminar flame speed and laminar flame thickness) and operating conditions (pressure and inlet temperature). The correlation captures effects of preferential diffusive-thermal and hydrodynamic instabilities.

The Effect of Lewis Number on Instantaneous Flamelet Speed and Position Statistics in Counter-Flow Flames With Increasing Turbulence

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean D. Salusbury ◽  
Ehsan Abbasi-Atibeh ◽  
Jeffrey M. Bergthorson
Keyword(s):  
Flame Front ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Rayleigh Scattering ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Lewis Number ◽  
Turbulent Flames ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Laminar Flames ◽  
Counter Flow

Differential diffusion effects in premixed combustion are studied in a counter-flow flame experiment for fuel-lean flames of three fuels with different Lewis numbers: methane, propane, and hydrogen. Previous studies of stretched laminar flames show that a maximum reference flame speed is observed for mixtures with Le ≳ 1 at lower flame-stretch values than at extinction, while the reference flame speed for Le ≪ 1 increases until extinction occurs when the flame is constrained by the stagnation point. In this work, counter-flow flame experiments are performed for these same mixtures, building upon the laminar results by using variable high-blockage turbulence-generating plates to generate turbulence intensities from the near-laminar u′/SLo=1 to the maximum u′/SLo achievable for each mixture, on the order of u′/SLo=10. Local, instantaneous reference flamelet speeds within the turbulent flame are extracted from high-speed PIV measurements. Instantaneous flame front positions are measured by Rayleigh scattering. The probability-density functions (PDFs) of instantaneous reference flamelet speeds for the Le ≳ 1 mixtures illustrate that the flamelet speeds are increasing with increasing turbulence intensity. However, at the highest turbulence intensities measured in these experiments, the probability seems to drop off at a velocity that matches experimentally-measured maximum reference flame speeds in previous work. In contrast, in the Le ≪ 1 turbulent flames, the most-probable instantaneous reference flamelet speed increases with increasing turbulence intensity and can, significantly, exceed the maximum reference flame speed measured in counter-flow laminar flames at extinction, with the PDF remaining near symmetric for the highest turbulence intensities. These results are reinforced by instantaneous flame position measurements. Flame-front location PDFs show the most probable flame location is linked both to the bulk flow velocity and to the instantaneous velocity PDFs. Furthermore, hydrogen flame-location PDFs are recognizably skewed upstream as u′/SLo increases, indicating a tendency for the Le ≪ 1 flame brush to propagate farther into the unburned reactants against a steepening average velocity gradient.

scholarly journals Rayleigh–Taylor unstable flames at higher Reynolds number

2019 ◽  
Vol 489 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
E P Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Turbulent Flames ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Parameter Study ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed ◽  
Flame Dynamics ◽  
Subgrid Model ◽  
Type Ia ◽  
Rt Instability

ABSTRACT Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) unstable flames are a key component of Type Ia and Iax supernovae explosions, but their complex hydrodynamics is still not well understood. These flames are affected not only by the RT instability, but also by the turbulence it generates. Both processes can increase the flame speed by stretching and wrinkling the flame. This makes it hard to choose a subgrid model for the flame speed in full star Type Ia or Iax simulations. Commonly used subgrid models get around this difficulty by assuming that either the RT instability or turbulence is dominant and sets the flame speed. In previous work, we evaluated the physical assumptions and predictive abilities of these two types of models by analysing a large parameter study of 3D direct numerical simulations of RT unstable flames. Surprisingly, we found that the flame dynamics is dominated by the RT instability and that RT unstable flames are very different from turbulent flames. In particular, RT unstable flames are thinner rather than thicker when turbulence is strong. In addition, none of the turbulent flame speed models adequately predicted the flame speed. We also showed that the RT flame speed model failed when the RT instability was strong, suggesting that geometrical burning effects also influence the flame speed. However, these results depended on simulations with Re ≲ 720. In this paper, we extend the parameter study to higher Reynolds number and show that the basic conclusions of our previous study still hold when the RT-generated turbulence is stronger.

Large-Scale Homogeneous Hydrogen-Air-Steam Deflagration Experiment Simulated Using Two Turbulent Flame Speed Closure Models

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadej Holler ◽  
Varun Jain ◽  
Ed M. J. Komen ◽  
Ivo Kljenak
Keyword(s):  
Flame Propagation ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Turbulent Flames ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed ◽  
Combustion Models

The CFD combustion modeling approach based on two combustion models was applied to a hydrogen deflagration experiment conducted in a large-scale confined experimental vessel. The used combustion models were Zimont’s Turbulent Flames Speed Closure (TFC) model and Lipatnikov’s Flame Speed Closure (FSC) model. The conducted simulations are aimed to aid identifying and evaluating the potential hydrogen risks in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) containment. The simulation results show good agreement with experiment for axial flame propagation using the Lipatnikov combustion model. However substantial overprediction in radial flame propagation is observed using both combustion models, which consequently results also in overprediction of the pressure increase rate and overall combustion energy output. As assumed for a large-scale experiment without any turbulence inducing structures, the combustion took place in low-turbulence regimes, where the Lipatnikov combustion model, due to its inclusion of quasi-laminar source term, has advantage over the Zimont model.

High-Speed Spectrally Resolved Imaging Studies of Spherically Expanding Natural Gas Flames Under Gas Turbine Operating Conditions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradeep Parajuli ◽  
Tyler Paschal ◽  
Mattias A. Turner ◽  
Eric L. Petersen ◽  
Waruna D. Kulatilaka
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Flame Front ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Initial Pressure ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Important Species

Abstract Natural gas is a major fuel source for many industrial and power-generation applications. The primary constituent of natural gas is methane (CH4), while smaller quantities of higher order hydrocarbons such as ethane (C2H6) and propane (C3H8) can also be present. Detailed understanding of natural gas combustion is important to obtain the highest possible combustion efficiency with minimal environmental impact in devices such as gas turbines and industrial furnaces. For a better understanding the combustion performance of natural gas, several important parameters to study are the flame temperature, heat release zone, flame front evolution, and laminar flame speed as a function of flame equivalence ratio. Spectrally and temporally resolved, high-speed chemiluminescence imaging can provide direct measurements of some of these parameters under controlled laboratory conditions. A series of experiments were performed on premixed methane/ethane-air flames at different equivalence ratios inside a closed flame speed vessel that allows the direct observation of the spherically expanding flame front. The vessel was filled with the mixtures of CH4 and C2H6 along with respective partial pressures of O2 and N2, to obtain the desired equivalence ratios at 1 atm initial pressure. A high-speed camera coupled with an image intensifier system was used to capture the chemiluminescence emitted by the excited hydroxyl (OH*) and methylidyne (CH*) radicals, which are two of the most important species present in the natural gas flames. The calculated laminar flame speeds for an 80/20 methane/ethane blend based on high-speed chemiluminescence images agreed well with the previously conducted Z-type schlieren imaging-based measurements. A high-pressure test, conducted at 5 atm initial pressure, produced wrinkles in the flame and decreased flame propagation rate. In comparison to the spherically expanding laminar flames, subsequent turbulent flame studies showed the sporadic nature of the flame resulting from multiple flame fronts that were evolved discontinuously and independently with the time. This paper documents some of the first results of quantitative spherical flame speed experiments using high-speed chemiluminescence imaging.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Reduced Kinetics in Simulation of Gasified Biomass Gas Combustion

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxiang Zhang ◽  
Nur Farizan Munjat ◽  
Jeevan Jayasuriya ◽  
Reza Fakhrai ◽  
Torsten Fransson
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Chemical Kinetics ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed ◽  
Operation Conditions ◽  
Simulation Results ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustion

It is essentially important to use appropriate chemical kinetic models in the simulation process of gas turbine combustion. To integrate the detailed kinetics into complex combustion simulations has proven to be a computationally expensive task with tens to thousands of elementary reaction steps. It has been suggested that an appropriate simplified kinetics which are computationally efficient could be used instead. Therefore reduced kinetics are often used in CFD simulation of gas turbine combustion. At the same time, simplified kinetics for specific fuels and operation conditions need to be carefully selected to fulfill the accuracy requirements. The applicability of several simplified kinetics for premixed Gasified Biomass Gas (GBG) and air combustion are evaluated in this paper. The current work is motivated by the growing demand of gasified biomass gas (GBG) fueled combustion. Even though simplified kinetic schemes developed for hydrocarbon combustions are published by various researchers, there is little research has been found in literature to evaluate the ability of the simplified chemical kinetics for the GBG combustion. The numerical Simulation tool “CANTERA” is used in the current study for the comparison of both detailed and simplified chemical kinetics. A simulated gas mixture of CO/H2/CH4/CO2/N2 is used for the current evaluation, since the fluctuation of GBG components may have an unpredictable influence on the simulation results. The laminar flame speed has an important influence with flame stability, extinction limits and turbulent flame speed, here it is chosen as an indicator for validation. The simulation results are compared with the experimental data from the previous study [1] which is done by our colleagues. Water vapour which has shown a dilution effect in the experimental study are also put into concern for further validation. As the results indicate, the reduced kinetics which are developed for hydrocarbon or hydrogen combustion need to be highly optimized before using them for GBG combustion. Further optimization of the reduced kinetics is done for GBG and moderate results are achieved using the optimized kinetics compared with the detailed combustion kinetics.

Modeling of Inhomogeneously Premixed Combustion With an Extended TFC Model

2000 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Polifke ◽  
P. Flohr ◽  
M. Brandt
Keyword(s):  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Mixture Fraction ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Flame Temperature ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Premixed Combustion ◽  
Combustion Stability ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed ◽  
Functional Relationships

In many practical applications, so-called premixed burners do not achieve perfect premixing of fuel and air. Instead, fuel injection pressure is limited, the permissible burner pressure drop is small and mixing lengths are curtailed to reduce the danger of flashback. Furthermore, internal or external piloting is frequently employed to improve combustion stability, while part-load operation often requires burner staging, where neighboring burners operate with unequal fuel/air equivalence ratios. In this report, an extension of the turbulent flame speed closure (TFC) model for highly turbulent premixed combustion is presented, which allows application of the model to the case of inhomogeneously premixed combustion. The extension is quite straightforward, i.e., the dependence of model parameters on mixture fraction is accounted for by providing appropriate lookup tables or functional relationships to the model. The model parameters determined in this way are adiabatic flame temperature, laminar flame speed and critical gradient. The model has been validated against a test case from the open literature and applied to an externally piloted industrial gas turbine burner with good success.

Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics simulation of hydrogen engines using a turbulent flame speed closure combustion model

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 464-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Udo Gerke ◽  
Konstantinos Boulouchos
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Laminar Flame ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Laminar Flame Speed ◽  
Release Rates ◽  
Turbulent Flame Speed

The mixture formation and combustion process of a hydrogen direct-injection internal combustion engine is computed using a modified version of a commercial three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics code. The aim of the work is the evaluation of hydrogen laminar flame speed correlations and turbulent flame speed closures with respect to combustion of premixed and stratified mixtures at various levels of air-to-fuel equivalence ratio. Heat-release rates derived from in-cylinder pressure traces are used for the validation of the combustion simulations. A turbulent combustion model with closures for a turbulent flame speed is investigated. The value of the computed heat-release rates mainly depends on the quality of laminar burning velocities and standard of turbulence quantities provided to the combustion model. Combustion simulations performed with experimentally derived laminar flame speed data give better results than those using laminar flame speeds obtained from a kinetic scheme. However, experimental data of hydrogen laminar flame speeds found in the literature are limited regarding the range of pressures, temperatures and air-to-fuel equivalence ratios, and do not comply with the demand of high-pressure engine-relevant conditions.

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