Application of an unsteady flamelet model in a RANS framework for spray A simulation

Abstract

[EN] In the present investigation the Spray A reference configuration defined in the framework of the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) has been modeled by means of an Unsteady Flamelet Model (USFM) including detailed parametric studies to evaluate the impact of ambient temperature, oxygen concentration and density. The study focuses on the analysis of the spray ignition delay, the flame lift-off length and the internal structure of the spray and flame according to the experimental information nowadays available for validating the results provided by the model. Promising results are obtained for the nominal case and also for the parametric variations (temperature, oxygen...) in terms of liquid and vapor penetration, ignition delay (ID) and lift-off length (LOL). The model permits to predict the ID and the LOL which constitute two parameters of key importance for describing the characteristics of transient reacting sprays. Valuable insight on the details of the combustion process is obtained from the analysis of formaldehyde (CH2O), acetylene (C2H2) and hydroxide (OH) species in spatial coordinates and also in the so-called phi-T maps. Important differences arise in the inner structure of the flame in the quasi-steady regime, which is closely linked to soot formation, when varying the ambient boundary conditions. Additionally, the auto-ignition process is investigated in order to describe in detail the spatial onset and propagation of combustion. Results confirm the impact of the ambient conditions on the regions of the spray where start of combustion takes place, so the relation between the local scalar dissipation rate and mixture fraction variance is also discussed. This investigation provides an insight of the potential of the USFM combustion model to describe the physical and chemical processes involved in transient spray combustion.