Large eddy simulation of turbulent diffusion flame combustion using a conserved scalar methodology

The present paper describes an LES prediction of turbulent diffusion flame combustion in a simplified axi-symmetric combustor geometry.The calculations are carried out using a well-tested finite volume incompressible LES code which has been modified to handle variable density and reacting flows.The basic mixture fraction conserved scalar method is used with the chemical state relationships described by fast chemistry.The turbulence-chemistry interaction is modelled by a sub-grid PDF method and the PDF is assumed to follow a Beta-function shape.The LES predictions have been time-averaged over 3.5 flow-through times to generate the mean radial profiles of mixture fraction,product mass fraction,temperature,axial velocity and axial rms.The agreement of the LES predictions with the experimental data is good for all the above quantities at four different axial positions with largest differences at the first measurement plane.The LES method also provides information on the unsteady nature of turbulent diffusion combustion. For turbulent reacting flows with large density ratio,it was found necessary to use a relaxation method in order to remove unphysical high-frequency fluctuations and to maintain numerical stability.