Modelling of turbulent flames with transported probability density function and rate-controlled constrained equilibrium methods

Abstract

In this study, turbulent diffusion flames have been modelled using the Transported Probability Density Function (PDF) method and chemistry reduction with the Rate-Controlled Constrained Equilibrium (RCCE). RCCE is a systematic method of chemistry reduction which is employed to simulate the evolution of the chemical composition with a reduced number of species. It is based on the principle of chemical time-scale separation and is formulated in a generalised and systematic manner that allows a reduced mechanism to be derived given a set of constraint species. The transported scalar PDF method was coupled with RANS turbulence modelling and this PDF-RANS methodology was exploited to simulate several turbulent diffusion flames with detailed and RCCE-reduced chemistry. The phenomena of extinction and reignition, soot formation and thermal radiation in these flames are explored.

Sandia Flames D, E and F have been simulated with both the detailed GRI-3.0 mechanism and RCCE reduced mechanisms. Scatter plots show that PDF methods with simple mixing models are able to reproduce different degrees of local extinction in Sandia piloted flames. The PDF-RCCE results are compared with PDF simulations with the detailed mechanism and with measurements of Sandia flames. The RCCE method predicted the three flames with the same level of accuracy of the detailed mechanism.

The methodology has also been applied to sooting flames with radiative heat transfer. Semi-empirical soot model and Optically-thin radiation model have been combined with the PDF-RCCE method to compute these flames. Methane flames measured by Brooks and Moss [26] have been predicted using several RCCE mechanisms with good agreement with measurements. The propane flame with preheated air [162] has also been simulated with the PDF-RCCE methodology. Gaseous species profiles of the propane flame compare reasonably with measurements but soot and temperature predictions in this flame were weak and improvements are still needed.