Framework Convention on Climate Change

Dynamics and stability of lean-premixed swirl-stabilized combustion

Fluid dynamic turbulence is one of the most challenging computational physics problems because of the extremely wide range of time and space scales involved, the strong nonlinearity of the governing equations, and the many practical and important applications. While most linear fluid instabilities are well understood, the nonlinear interactions among them makes even the relatively simple limit of homogeneous isotropic turbulence difficult to treat physically, mathematically, and computationally. Turbulence is modeled computationally by a two-stage bootstrap process. The first stage, direct numerical simulation, attempts to resolve the relevant physical time and space scales but its application is limited to diffusive flows with a relatively small Reynolds number (Re). Using direct numerical simulation to provide a database, in turn, allows calibration of phenomenological turbulence models for engineering applications. Large eddy simulation incorporates a form of turbulence modeling applicable when the large-scale flows of interest are intrinsically time dependent, thus throwing common statistical models into question. A promising approach to large eddy simulation involves the use of high-resolution monotone computational fluid dynamics algorithms such as flux-corrected transport or the piecewise parabolic method which have intrinsic subgrid turbulence models coupled naturally to the resolved scales in the computed flow. The physical considerations underlying and evidence supporting this monotone integrated large eddy simulation approach are discussed.

New insights into large eddy simulation

Progress in probability density function methods for turbulent reacting flows

This paper presents recent progress in the field of thermoacoustic combustion instabilities in propulsion engines such as rockets or gas turbines. Combustion instabilities have been studied for more than a century in simple laminar configurations as well as in laboratory-scale turbulent flames. These instabilities are also encountered in real engines but new mechanisms appear in these systems because of obvious differences with academic burners: larger Reynolds numbers, higher pressures and power densities, multiple inlet systems, complex fuels. Other differences are more subtle: real engines often feature specific unstable modes such as azimuthal instabilities in gas turbines or transverse modes in rocket chambers. Hydrodynamic instability modes can also differ as well as the combustion regimes, which can require very different simulation models. The integration of chambers in real engines implies that compressor and turbine impedances control instabilities directly so that the determination of the impedances of turbomachinery elements becomes a key issue. Gathering experimental data on combustion instabilities is difficult in real engines and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) has become a major tool in this field. Recent examples, however, show that LES is not sufficient and that theory, even in these complex systems, plays a major role to understand both experimental and LES results and to identify mitigation techniques.

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01502419/document

Prediction and control of combustion instabilities in real engines

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00803230/document

Large Eddy Simulations of gaseous flames in gas turbine combustion chambers

While most academic set ups used to study combustion instabilities are limited to single burners and are submitted mainly to longitudinal acoustic modes, real gas turbines exhibit mostly azimuthal modes due to the annular shape of their chambers. This study presents a massively parallel Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of a full helicopter combustion chamber in which a self-excited azimuthal mode develops naturally. The whole chamber is computed from the diffuser outlet to the high pressure stator nozzle. LES captures this self-excited instability and results (unsteady pressure RMS and phase fields) show that it is characterized by two superimposed rotating modes with different amplitudes. These turning modes modulate the flow rate through the 15 burners and the flames oscillate back and forth in front of each burner, leading to local heat release fluctuations. LES demonstrates that the first effect of the turning modes is to induce longitudinal pulsations of the flow rates through individual burners. The transfer functions of all burners are the same and no mechanism of flame interactions between burners within the chamber is identified.

Large Eddy Simulation of self excited azimuthal modes in annular combustors

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00811961/document

Large Eddy Simulation of combustion instabilities in a lean partially premixed swirled flame

A methodology termed the “velocity filtered density function” (VFDF) is developed and implemented for large eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent flows. In this methodology, the effects of the unresolved subgrid scales (SGS) are taken into account by considering the joint probability density function of all of the components of the velocity vector. An exact transport equation is derived for the VFDF in which the effects of the SGS convection appear in closed form. The unclosed terms in this transport equation are modeled. A system of stochastic differential equations (SDEs) which yields statistically equivalent results to the modeled VFDF transport equation is constructed. These SDEs are solved numerically by a Lagrangian Monte Carlo procedure in which the Ito–Gikhman character of the SDEs is preserved. The consistency of the proposed SDEs and the convergence of the Monte Carlo solution are assessed by comparison with results obtained by an Eulerian LES procedure in which the corresponding transport equation...

Velocity filtered density function for large eddy simulation of turbulent flows

https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00801825/document

Laurent Gicquel

Papers

Large Eddy Simulations of gaseous flames in gas turbine combustion chambers

Large Eddy Simulation of self excited azimuthal modes in annular combustors

Large Eddy Simulation of combustion instabilities in a lean partially premixed swirled flame

Velocity filtered density function for large eddy simulation of turbulent flows

Acoustic and Large Eddy Simulation studies of azimuthal modes in annular combustion chambers