Direct numerical simulations of turbulent non-premixed flames: Assessment of turbulence within swirling flows

Abstract

Direct numerical simulations of non-premixed swirling fuel-rich/fuel-lean flames within a high-pressure model gas turbine combustor are conducted to investigate the flow and flame structures, as well as the transport mechanisms of both turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and enstrophy. The effects of non-premixed flames upon these characteristics are also analyzed through comparison with the corresponding non-reacting swirling flows. We demonstrate that the turbulence state in the swirling flows behaves axisymmetrically overall in the current cylindrical laboratory-type combustor and is more likely to be cigar shaped in the presence of combustion. The analysis of TKE budgets within non-reacting swirling flows indicates that TKE is predominantly produced by mean shear in the shear layers and redistributed by transport effects from the inner shear layer (ISL) to the internal-recirculation zone; however, these transport effects are suppressed by combustion in fuel-lean non-premixed flames. Although the total pressure effects consume TKE with a similar magnitude in all cases, the essential cause is different. The influence of combustion upon TKE budgets is more significant for fuel-lean flames than for fuel-rich flames as a result of the stronger burning intensity in the ISL of the former. Analysis of enstrophy dynamics shows that dilatation and baroclinic torque play relatively noticeable roles in swirling non-premixed flames, unlike their negligible effects in high-intensity homogeneous isotropic turbulence. The augmentation of baroclinic torque caused by non-premixed swirling combustion mainly arises from the remarkable decrease in density and enhancement of preferential alignment between the vorticity and baroclinic torque vectors.