Academic literature on the topic 'Flamelettes'

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) has potential to address unsteady phenomena in turbulent premixed flames and to capture turbulence scales and their influence on combustion. Thus, this approach is gaining interest in industry to analyse turbulent reacting flows. In LES, the dynamics of large-scale turbulent eddies down to a cut-off scale are solved, with models to mimic the influences of sub-grid scales. Since the flame front is thinner than the smallest scale resolved in a typical LES, the premixed combustion is a sub-grid scale (SGS) phenomenon and involves strong interplay among small-scale turbulence, chemical reactions and molecular diffusion. Sub-grid scale combustion models must accurately represent these processes. When the flame front is thinner than the smallest turbulent scale, the flame is corrugated by the turbulence and can be seen as an ensemble of thin, one-dimensional laminar flames (flamelets). This allows one to decouple turbulence from chemistry, with a significant reduction in computational effort. However, potentials and limitations of flamelets are not fully explored and understood. This work contributes to this understanding. Two models are identified, one based on an algebraic expression for the reaction rate of a progress variable and the assumption of fast chemistry, the other based on a database of unstrained flamelets in which reaction rates are stored and parametrised using a progress variable and its SGS variance, and their potentials are shown for a wide range of premixed combustion conditions of practical interest. The sensitivity to a number of model parameters and boundary conditions is explored to assess the robustness of these models. This work shows that the SGS variance of progress variable plays a crucial role in the SGS reaction rate modelling and cannot be obtained using a simple algebraic closure like that commonly used for a passive scalar. The use of strained flamelets to include the flame stretching effects is not required when the variance is obtained from its transport equation and the resolved turbulence contains predominant part of the turbulent kinetic energy. Thus, it seems that SGS closure using unstrained flamelets model is robust and adequate for wide range of turbulent premixed combustion conditions.

A simulação numérica de chamas turbulentas é ainda hoje um desafio para as práticas de mecânica dos fluidos computacional. Compreendendo que as abordagens numéricas mais completas e realísticas atualmente disponíveis podem ser computacionalmente proibitivas, diversos modelos vêm sendo desenvolvidos com o objetivo de reproduzir os fenômenos envolvidos na combustão de uma forma simplificada, mas ainda fisicamente consistente. Este trabalho é, portanto, dedicado à comparação de diferentes modelos de fechamento para a turbulência baseados nas equações de Navier-Stokes em médias de Reynolds e de modelos para simplificação da cinética química baseados no conceito de flamelets, com e sem a modelagem da radiação térmica, esta última através do modelo de soma-ponderada-de-gasescinzas. Para tanto, na primeira parte do presente trabalho são comparados seis modelos de turbulência na solução de um jato turbulento de propano, não reativo e isotérmico, circundado por uma corrente paralela de ar, quanto a sua eficiência na predição dos valores médios da velocidade longitudinal e transversal, fração mássica de propano e massa específica da mistura. Os modelos são o k- Padrão (empregado na sua versão original e com mais duas modificações nas suas constantes conforme propostas encontradas na literatura), o k- Realizable, o k- Padrão e o k- Shear-Stress Transport. Um dos modelos de melhor desempenho é então usado na simulação de uma chama turbulenta não pré-misturada de metano/hidrogênio/nitrogênio circundada por um escoamento coaxial de ar de baixa velocidade, no qual são então comparados os modelos para redução da cinética química baseados no conceito de flamelets, o Steady Laminar Diffusion Flamelet (SLDF) e o Flamelet-Generated Manifold (FGM), tendo os seus resultados comparados aos dados experimentais para os valores médios da velocidade longitudinal, fração de mistura, temperatura e frações mássicas das espécies químicas. Dentre os modelos de turbulência avaliados, é observado que as duas versões ajustadas do k- Padrão e o k- Padrão se mostraram com melhor concordância em relação às medições experimentais do que os demais. No presente estudo é também avaliada a consistência dos dados experimentais reportados e uma discrepância é identificada neste jato, mas que, conforme verificado, não compromete a comparação dos modelos aqui proposta. Na solução do escoamento reativo, o modelo SLDF se mostrou com resultados bastante próximos aos resultados experimentais (exceto para o NO), sendo aprimorados ainda mais com a inclusão da modelagem da radiação térmica, sobretudo para regiões mais distantes do bico injetor do combustível, após o pico de temperatura da chama. O modelo FGM, contudo, apresentou resultados muito aquém dos esperados, sobretudo para as frações mássicas das espécies químicas, mesmo utilizando malhas com nível de refinamento muito maior e com o teste de diversas combinações de espécies para a variável de progresso da reação, e no qual a inclusão da radiação na modelagem também não trouxe benefícios perceptíveis. Todas as simulações numéricas foram realizadas empregando o código comercial ANSYS Fluent, versão 15.0.0.<br>The numerical simulation of turbulent flames is still a challenge for today's computational fluid dynamics practices. Understanding that the most complete and realistic numerical approaches available today may be computationally prohibitive, several models have been developed in order to reproduce the phenomena involved in combustion in a simplified, but still physically consistent, way. Therefore, this work is dedicated to compare different models for turbulence closure based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations and models for simplification of the chemical kinetics based on the flamelet concept, with and without thermal radiation modeling through the weighted-sum-of-gray-gases model. Thus, in the first part of the current work six turbulence models are employed to solve a turbulent nonreactive isothermal flow, a propane jet surrounded by a parallel stream of air. The models are compared through their effectiveness in predicting the mean values of longitudinal and transversal velocities, propane mass fraction and mixture density. The models are the Standard k- (employed in its original version and with two modifications according to proposals found in the literature), the Realizable k- , the Standard k- and the Shear-Stress Transport k- . One of the best performing models is then used to simulate a turbulent nonpremixed flame of methane/hydrogen/nitrogen surrounded by a low-velocity air coflow, in which are compared the models to reduce the chemical kinetics based on the flamelets concept, the Steady Laminar Diffusion Flamelet (SLDF) and the Flamelet-Generated Manifold (FGM), being the numerical results compared to the experimental data for the mean values of longitudinal velocity, mixture fraction, temperature and species mass fractions. Among the six turbulence models evaluated, it is observed that the two adjusted versions of the Standard k- and the Standard k- showed better agreement with the experimental measurements than the other models. In the current study it is also evaluated the consistency of the reported experimental data and a discrepancy is identified, which, as verified, does not compromise the models comparison here proposed. In the solution of the reactive flow, the SLDF model showed results very close to the experimental results (except for NO), being further enhanced with the inclusion of the thermal radiation modeling, especially for regions far from fuel nozzle, after the peak of temperature of the flame. The FGM model, however, showed results far below the expected, especially for the mass fractions of chemical species, even using meshes with much higher refinement level and testing of various species combinations for the reaction progress variable. The inclusion of the radiation modeling did not brought noticeable benefits. All the numerical simulations were performed employing the ANSYS Fluent version 15.0.0 commercial code.

L'optimisation des systèmes d'allumage est un paramètre critique pour la définition des foyers de combustion industriels. Des simulations aux grandes échelles (ou LES pour Large-Eddy Simulation) d'un brûleur de type bluff-body non pré-mélangé ont été menées afin de comprendre l'influence de la position de la bougie sur la probabilité d'allumage. La prise en compte de la combustion est basée sur une méthode de tabulation de la chimie détaillée (PCM-FPI pour Presumed Conditional Moments - Flame Prolongation of ILDM). Les résultats de ces simulations ont été confrontés des résultats expérimentaux disponibles dans la littérature. Dans un premier temps, les mesures de vitesse et du champ de richesse à froid sont comparées aux résultats de la simulation pour évaluer les capacités de prédiction en terme de structure de l'écoulement et de mélange turbulent. Un suivi temporel des vitesses et de la fraction de mélange est réalisé à différents points pour déterminer les fonctions de densité de probabilité (ou PDF)des variables caractéristiques de l'écoulement, à partir des champs résolus en LES. Les PDFs ainsi obtenues servent l'analyse des phénomènes d'allumages réussis ou déficients rencontrés expérimentalement. Des simulations d'allumage forcé ont été effectuées pour analyser les différents scénarios de développement de la flamme. Les corrélations entre les valeurs locales (fraction de mélange, vitesse) autour de la position d'allumage et les chances de succès de développement du noyau de gaz brûlés sont alors discutées. Enfin, une extension de la méthode PCM-FPI avec prise en compte des effets d'étirement est développée à l'aide d'une analyse asymptotique, puis confrontée aux résultats de mesures expérimentales<br>The optimization of the ignition process is a crucial issue in the design of many combustion systems. Large eddy simulation (LES) of a conical shaped bluff-body turbulent non-premixed burner has been performed to study the impact of spark location on ignition success. The chemistry part of the simulation is done using tabulated detailed chemistry approach. This burner was experimentally investigated by Ahmed et al at Cambridge (UK). The present work focuses on the case without swirl for which detailed measurements are available. First, cold fkow measurements of velocities and mixture fraction are compared with their LES counterparts, to assess the prediction capabilities of simulations in terms of flow and turbulent mixing. Time history of velocities and mixture fraction are recorded at selected spots, to probe the resolved probability density function (pdf) of flow variables, in an attempt to reproduce, from the knowledge of LES resolved instantaneous flow conditions, the experimentally observed reasons of success or failure of spark ignition. A flammability map is also constructed from the resolved mixture fraction pdf and compared with its experimental counterpart. LES of forced ignition is then performed using flamelet fully detailed tabulated chemistry combined with presumed pdfs (PCM-FPI). Various scenarios of flame kernel development are analyzed and correlated with typical flow conditions observed in this burner. The correlations between velocities and mixture fraction values at the sparking time and the success or failure of ignition are then further discussed and analysed. The rate of flame development during successful or unsuccessful ignition events are analysed and compared against experimental observations. Finally, from asymptotic flame analysis, a novel approach has been proposed to include flame straining effects in the PCM-FPI method developped at CORIA-CNRS. The new model overcomes the problem associated with classical PCM-FPI closure to model kernel quenching due to intense local turbulence. Computations are done including the flame straining effects and the effect brought by the new model on kernel development is analysed in detail

Deep knowledge of combustion phenomena is of great scientific and technological interest. In fact, better design of combustion equipments (furnaces, boilers, engines, etc) can contribute both in the energy efficiency and in the reduction of pollutant formation. <br/><br/>One of the limitations to design combustion equipments, or even predict simple flames, is the resolution of the mathematical formulation. Analytical solutions are not feasible, and recently numerical techniques have received enormous interest. Even though the ever-increasing computational capacity, the numerical resolution requires large computational resources due to the inherent complexity of the phenomenon (viz. multidimensional flames, finite rate kinetics, radiation in participating media, turbulence, etc). Thus, development of capable mathematical models reducing the complexity and the stiffness as well as efficient numerical techniques are of great interest.<br/><br/>The main contribution of the thesis is the analysis and application of the laminar flamelet concept to the numerical simulation of both laminar and turbulent non-premixed flames. Assuming a one-dimensional behavior of combustion phenomena in the normal direction to the flame front, and considering an appropriate coordinates transformation, flamelet approaches reduce the complexity of the problem.<br/><br/>The numerical methodology employed is based on the finite volume technique and a parallel multiblock algorithm is used obtaining an excellent parallel efficiency. A post-processing verification tool is applied to assess the quality of the numerical solutions.<br/><br/>Before dealing with flamelet approaches, a co-flow partially premixed methane/air laminar flame is studied for different levels of partial premixing. A comprehensive study is performed considering different mathematical formulations based on the full resolution of the governing equations and their validation against experimental data from the literature. Special attention is paid to the prediction of pollutant formation.<br/><br/>After the full resolution of the governing equations, the mathematical formulation of the flamelet equations and a deep study of the hypothesis assumed are presented. The non-premixed methane/air laminar flame is considered to apply the flamelet modelling approach, comparing the results with the simulations obtained with the full resolution of the governing equations. Steady flamelets show a proper performance to predict the main flame features when differential diffusion and radiation are neglected, while unsteady flamelets are more suitable to account for these effects as well as pollutant formation. Assumptions of the flamelet equations, the scalar dissipation rate modelling, and the evaluation of the Lagrangian flamelet time for unsteady flamelets are specially analysed. <br/><br/>For the numerical simulation of turbulent flames, the mathematical formulation based on mass-weighted time-averaging techniques, using RANS EVM two-equation models is considered. The laminar flamelet concept with a presumed PDF is taken into account. An extended Eddy Dissipation Concept model is also applied for comparison purposes. A piloted non-premixed methane/air turbulent flame is studied comparing the numerical results with experimental data from the literature. A clear improvement in the prediction of slow processes is shown when the transient term in the flamelet equations is retained. Radiation is a key aspect to properly define the thermal field and, consequently, species such as nitrogen oxides. Finally, the consideration of the round-jet anomaly is of significant importance to estimate the flame front position.<br/><br/>In conclusion, flamelet modelling simulations are revealed to be an accurate approach for the numerical simulation of laminar and turbulent non-premixed flames. Detailed chemistry can be taken into account and the stiffness of the chemistry term is solved in a pre-processing task. Pollutant formation can be predicted considering unsteady flamelets.