The propagation of H2-enriched CH4-air triple flames in a nonpremixed jet is investigated numerically. The flames are ignited in a nonuniform jet-mixing layer downstream of the burner. A comprehensive, time-dependent computational model is used to simulate the transient ignition and flame propagation phenomena. The model employs a detailed description of methane-air chemistry and transport properties. Following ignition a well-defined flame is formed that propagates upstream towards the burner along the stoichiometric mixture fraction line. As the flame propagates upstream, the flame speed, which is defined as the normal flamefront velocity at the leading edge with respect to the local gas velocity, increases above or decreases below to the corresponding unstretched laminar flame speed of the stoichiometric planar premixed flame. Although the flame curvature varies as a function of axial position, the flame curvature remains nearly constant for a given flame. As hydrogen is added to the fuel stream the flame curvature during flame propagation remains nearly constant. During the flame propagation process, the hydrodynamic stretch dominates over the curvature-induced stretch. Hydrogen increases the heat release and the component of the velocity perpendicular to the flame increases across the surface, whereas the tangential component remains unchanged. This jump in the perpendicular velocity component bends the velocity vector toward the stoichiometric mixture fraction line. This redirection of the flow is accommodated by the divergence of the streamlines ahead of the flame, resulting in the decrease of the velocity and increase in the hydrodynamic stretch.
Effect of stoichiometric mixture fraction on soot fraction and emission spectra with application to oxy-combustion