LES of turbulent lifted CH4/H2 flames using a novel FGM-PDF model

This study reports on numerical investigations of preferential diffusion effects on flame stabilization of turbulent lifted flames using LES with a FGM-PDF approach. The experimental test case is the Delft JHC burner to study Mild combustion; a clean combustion concept. In this burner, CH4 based fuel has been enriched from 0 to 25% of H2. Since the main stabilization mechanism of these turbulent flames is autoignition, the developed numerical model should be able to predict this complex event. Furthermore, addition of hydrogen makes modeling even more challenging due to its preferential diffusion effects. These effects are increasingly important since autoignition is typically initiated at very small mixture fractions where molecular diffusion is comparable to turbulence transport (eddy viscosity). In this study, first, a novel numerical model is developed based on the Flamelet Generated Manifolds (FGM) to account for preferential diffusion effects in autoignition. Afterwards, the developed FGM approach is implemented in LES of the H2 enriched turbulent lifted jet flames. Main features of these turbulent lifted flames such as the formation of ignition kernels and stabilization mechanisms are thoroughly analyzed and compared with the measurements of OH chemiluminescence.