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NASA NTRS1985

Symposium (International) on Combustion, 20th, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, August 12-17, 1984, Proceedings

The present conference on combustion phenomena considers topics in automotive engine combustion, turbulent reacting flows, the modeling of practical combustion systems, reaction kinetics, combustion-generated particulates, combustion diagnostics, coal combustion process characteristics, fire-related phenomena, explosion/detonation phenomena, spray combustion, ignition/extinction, laminar flames, pollutant formation processes, practical combustor devices, and rocket propellant combustion. Attention is given to the contributions of combustion science to piston engine design, modeling and measurement techniques for turbulent combustion, the specific effects of energy, collisions, and transport processes in combustion chemistry kinetics, the formation of large molecules, particulates and ions in premixed hydrocarbon flames, the application of laser diagnostics to combustion systems, spark ignition energies for dust-air mixtures, the controlling mechanisms of flow-assisted flame spread, the ignition and combustion of coal-water slurries, spontaneous ignition of methane, turbulent and accelerating dust flames, and the temperature sensitivity of double base propellants.

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NASA NTRS1975

Analysis of liquid rocket combustion chamber turbulence levels from diffusion data

The intensity of turbulence and the Lagrangian correlation coefficient in a liquid-rocket combustion chamber have been analytically determined from an analysis of experimental diffusion data obtained in a small rocket engine which operated at 300-psia chamber pressure and produced approximately 250 pounds thrust. Results of gas-sample measurements obtained by Orsat and gas-chromatograph techniques to determine helium-concentration profiles were analyzed on the basis of Taylor's (1921) turbulent diffusion theory to obtain turbulence flow-field parameters. The results of the analysis indicate that turbulent diffusion in a combustion chamber can be adequately modeled by the one-dimensional Taylor theory, which assumes that the intensity of turbulence is a function only of axial distance in the chamber and that the Lagrangian correlation coefficient is expressed by a power law. The results indicate a higher intensity of turbulence and lower correlation than previously expected.

Smith, L. O., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1993

A coupled implicit solution method for turbulent spray combustion in propulsion systems

Many reacting flows in propulsion devices cannot be efficiently calculated by modern compressible flow CFD algorithms. Most low-speed reacting flow codes based on TEACH-type technologies are inefficient and lack robustness for complex flows. Tremendous progress has been made in high-speed compressible flow CFD in the past two decades; extending its application range to low-speed regimes is highly desirable. The objectives of this document is to present an efficient and robust algorithm for multi-phase chemically reacting flows at all speeds, with emphasis on low Mach number flows, and to calculate turbulent spray combustion flow in a gas turbine combustor.

Chen, K.-H.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Modeling of turbulent chemical reaction

Viewgraphs are presented on modeling turbulent reacting flows, regimes of turbulent combustion, regimes of premixed and regimes of non-premixed turbulent combustion, chemical closure models, flamelet model, conditional moment closure (CMC), NO(x) emissions from turbulent H2 jet flames, probability density function (PDF), departures from chemical equilibrium, mixing models for PDF methods, comparison of predicted and measured H2O mass fractions in turbulent nonpremixed jet flames, experimental evidence of preferential diffusion in turbulent jet flames, and computation of turbulent reacting flows.

Chen, J.-Y.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Some effects of combustion on turbulent mixing

Ceramic-heated tunnel experiments were performed to study mixing and combustion of near-sonic central hydrogen jets and coaxial supersonic air or nitrogen streams. Results of concentration measurements in these flows are presented. Larger concentrations of hydrogen were observed near the axis in the presence of combustion. Results of flowfield calculations and of low-speed free jet experiments reported by Chigier and Strokin (1974) suggest that this behavior is caused primarily by lower density in the burning case producing lower turbulent mass transport coefficients.

Bangert, L. H.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Rayleigh Light Scattering for Concentration Measurements in Turbulent Flows

Despite intensive research over a number of years, an understanding of scalar mixing in turbulent flows remains elusive. An understanding is required because turbulent mixing has a pivotal role in a wide variety of natural and technologically important processes. As an example, the mixing and transport of pollutants in the atmosphere and in bodies of water are often dependent on turbulent mixing processes. Turbulent mixing is also central to turbulent combustion which underlies most hydrocarbon energy use in modern societies as well as in unwanted fire behavior. Development of models for combusting flows is therefore crucial, however, an understanding of scalar mixing is required before useful models of turbulent mixing and, ultimately, turbulent combustion can be developed. An important subset of turbulent flows is axisymmetric turbulent jets and plumes because they are relatively simple to generate, and because the provide an appropriate test bed for the development of general theories of turbulent mixing which can be applied to more complex geometries and flows. This paper focuses on a number of experimental techniques which have been developed at the National Institute of Standards and Development for measuring concentration in binary axisymmetric turbulent jets. In order to demonstrate the value of these diagnostics, some of the more important results from earlier and on-going investigations are summarized. Topics addressed include the similarity behavior of variable density axisymmetric jets, the behavior of absolutely unstable axisymmetric helium jets, and the role of large scale structures and scalar dissipation in these flows.

Pitts, William M.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Verification and Improvement of Flamelet Approach for Non-Premixed Flames

Studies in the mathematical modeling of the high-speed turbulent combustion has received renewal attention in the recent years. The review of fundamentals, approaches and extensive bibliography was presented by Bray, Libbi and Williams. In order to obtain accurate predictions for turbulent combustible flows, the effects of turbulent fluctuations on the chemical source terms should be taken into account. The averaging of chemical source terms requires to utilize probability density function (PDF) model. There are two main approaches which are dominant in high-speed combustion modeling now. In the first approach, PDF form is assumed based on intuitia of modelliers (see, for example, Spiegler et.al.; Girimaji; Baurle et.al.). The second way is much more elaborate and it is based on the solution of evolution equation for PDF. This approach was proposed by S.Pope for incompressible flames. Recently, it was modified for modeling of compressible flames in studies of Farschi; Hsu; Hsu, Raji, Norris; Eifer, Kollman. But its realization in CFD is extremely expensive in computations due to large multidimensionality of PDF evolution equation (Baurle, Hsu, Hassan).

Zaitsev, S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Symposium (International) on Combustion, 19th, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, August 8-13, 1982, Proceedings

Topics discussed are related to elementary reactions, reaction mechanisms and modeling, laminar flames, flame chemistry, turbulent reacting shear flows, turbulent premixed flames, turbulent combustion measurements, continuous combustors, detonation, detonation and explosion, heterogeneous detonation, propellant combustion, fire-ignition and thermal degradation, fire-flame spread and burning, fire-modeling, spray combustion, and droplet combustion. Coal combustion kinetics and mechanisms are considered along with coal combustion mechanisms and pyrolysis, coal combustion techniques, NOx in coal combustion, gaseous pollutants, soot and PAH, soot and inorganic pollutants, I.C. engine combustion, and ignition and extinction. Attention is given to intricate paths and simple steps in chemical kinetics and combustion, the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by combustion, turbulent flame structure and speed in spark ignition engines, and unresolved problems in SOx, NOx, and soot control in combustion.

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NASA NTRS1993

Stretch-induced quenching in flame-vortex interactions

The flame-vortex interaction problem is a natural configuration in which several issues relevant to turbulent combustion can be addressed: effect of strain-rate and curvature, effect of the Lewis number, effect of heat losses, effect of complex chemistry, and flame-generated turbulence. In such an approach, the interaction of an isolated vortex with a laminar premixed flame is viewed as a unit process of a turbulent premixed flame in which the reaction zone keeps a laminar like structure locally; this is precisely the case of the wrinkled flame or flamelet regime in turbulent combustion. The present work complements previous studies and involves the study of the interaction of a vortex pair and a laminar premixed flame in a planar two-dimensional geometry, together with numerical simulations. This geometry is quite unique since most studies have considered axisymmetric vortex rings. Such a geometry offers several advantages over previous studies.

Samaniego, J.-M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Computational modelling of dump combustors flowfield

A computational model aimed at predicting the flowfield of dump combustors is presented. The turbulent combustion model is based on the conserved scalar approach and on a convenient specification of its probability density function, which reduces the computation of the mean density to a closed form. Turbulence is modeled by means of the k-epsilon model. The averaged conservation equations are solved by a technique based on a staggered grid and on the SIMPLE solver. The computational model is applied to a simple dump combustor to assess the computer time requirements and accuracy. The turbulent combustion model is shown to reduce the computer time by an order of magnitude when compared to evaluating the mean density by numerical quadrature.

Lentini, D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Turbulent swirling combustion

The non-reacting flow produced by two confined, co- and/or counter-swirling jets wre measured by means of a two-color laser Doppler velocimeter. These results are compared with earlier experiments and with numerical predictions. It is shown that under both swirl conditions, a closed recirculation zone is created at the combustor center line. This zone is characterized by the presence of a one-cell toroidal vortex, low tangential velocities, high turbulent intensity, and large dissipation rates of the kinetic energy of turbulence.

Sommer, H. T.↗
NASA NTRS1981

An experimental study of combustion: The turbulent structure of a reacting shear layer formed at a rearward-facing step

A premixed propane-air flame is stabilized in a turbulent free shear layer formed at a rearward-facing step. The mean and rms averages of the turbulent velocity flow field were determined by LDV for both reacting and non-reacting flows. The reaching flow was visualized by high speed schlieren photography. Large scale structures dominate the reacting shear layer. The growth of the large scale structures is tied to the propagation of the flame. The linear growth rate of the reacting shear layer defined by the mean velocity profiles is unchanged by combustion but the virtual origin is shifted downstream. The reacting shear layer based on the mean velocity profiles is shifted toward the recirculation zone and the reattachments lengths are shortened by 30%.

Pitz, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Turbulent hydrocarbon combustions kinetics - Stochastic modeling and verification

Idealized reactors, that are designed to ensure perfect mixing and are used to generate the combustion kinetics for complex hydrocarbon fuels, may depart from the ideal and influence the kinetics model performance. A complex hydrocarbon kinetics model that was established by modeling a jet-stirred combustor (JSC) as a perfectly stirred reactor (PSR), is reevaluated with a simple stochastic process in order to introduce the unmixedness effect quantitatively into the reactor system. It is shown that the comparisons of the predictions and experimental data have improved dramatically with the inclusion of the unmixedness effect in the rich combustion region. The complex hydrocarbon kinetics is therefore verified to be mixing effect free and be applicable to general reacting flow calculations.

Wang, T. S.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Chemical reacting flows

Future aerospace propulsion concepts involve the combustion of liquid or gaseous fuels in a highly turbulent internal airstream. Accurate predictive computer codes which can simulate the fluid mechanics, chemistry, and turbulence-combustion interaction of these chemical reacting flows will be a new tool that is needed in the design of these future propulsion concepts. Experimental and code development research is being performed at LeRC to better understand chemical reacting flows with the long-term goal of establishing these reliable computer codes. Our approach to understand chemical reacting flows is to look at separate, more simple parts of this complex phenomenon as well as to study the full turbulent reacting flow process. As a result, we are engaged in research on the fluid mechanics associated with chemical reacting flows. We are also studying the chemistry of fuel-air combustion. Finally, we are investigating the phenomenon of turbulence-combustion interaction. Research, both experimental and analytical, is highlighted in each of these three major areas.

Mularz, Edward J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Annual Research Briefs: 1995

This report contains the 1995 annual progress reports of the Research Fellows and students of the Center for Turbulence Research (CTR). In 1995 CTR continued its concentration on the development and application of large-eddy simulation to complex flows, development of novel modeling concepts for engineering computations in the Reynolds averaged framework, and turbulent combustion. In large-eddy simulation, a number of numerical and experimental issues have surfaced which are being addressed. The first group of reports in this volume are on large-eddy simulation. A key finding in this area was the revelation of possibly significant numerical errors that may overwhelm the effects of the subgrid-scale model. We also commissioned a new experiment to support the LES validation studies. The remaining articles in this report are concerned with Reynolds averaged modeling, studies of turbulence physics and flow generated sound, combustion, and simulation techniques. Fundamental studies of turbulent combustion using direct numerical simulations which started at CTR will continue to be emphasized. These studies and their counterparts carried out during the summer programs have had a noticeable impact on combustion research world wide.

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NASA NTRS1979

Acoustic diagnostics of the nonpremixed turbulent jet flame

The feasibility of inferring information regarding turbulence and combustion details in turbulent combustion zones through the acoustic field is explored. The well known theoretical formulation of Strahle is used. The real difficulty in prediction of the acoustic field is seen to be the unavailability of an expression for the local, instantaneous reaction rate in a turbulent field. A simplified expression is used to infer the nature of the acoustic field. Based on earlier photographic observations, a model is used as a working hypothesis to extract information regarding the acoustic field. These are seen to be substantiated by experiments as well. More importantly, it is found that changes in the operating conditions of various burners are almost instantly revealed in the acoustic spectra. Several experiments with a laboratory burner using several different gaseous reactants are reported to support this diagnostic information content of the acoustic fields of turbulent combustion zones.

Ramohalli, K.↗
NASA NTRS1996

A dynamic subgrid-scale model for LES of the G-equation

Turbulent combustion is a difficult subject as it must deal with all of the issues found in both turbulence and combustion. (We consider only premixed flames in this paper, but some of the ideas can be applied to the non-premixed case.) As in many other fields, there are two limiting cases that are easier to deal with than the general case. These are the situations in which the chemical time scale is either much shorter or much longer than the time scale associated with the turbulence. We deal with the former case. In this limit, the flame is thin compared to the turbulence length scales and can be idealized as an infinitely thin sheet. This is commonly called the flamelet regime; it has been the subject of many papers and the basis for many models (see, e.g., Linan & Williams 1993). In the flamelet model, the local flame structure is assumed to be identical to the laminar flame structure; thus the flame propagates normal to itself at the laminar flame speed, S(sub L). This allows the use of simple approximations. For example, one expects the rate of consumption of fuel to be proportional to the area of the flame surface. This idea allowed Damkohler (1940) to propose that the wrinkled flame could be replaced by a smooth one which travels at the turbulent flame speed, S(sub T), defined by S(sub T)/S(sub L) = A(sub L) /A(sub P) where A(sub L) is the total flame surface area and AP is the area projected onto the mean direction of propagation. This relation can be expected to be valid when the flame structure is modified only slightly by the turbulence. More recent approaches have attempted to relate the turbulent flame speed to turbulence intensity, u(sub '), which presumably, characterizes the wrinkling of the flame.

Bourlioux, A.↗