Combustion characteristics of premixed hydrogen/air flames in a geometrically modified micro combustor

Main challenges for a fuel efficient micro scale combustion are rooted from size restriction of micro combustors which results with inappropriate residence time of fuel/air mixture and intensified heat losses due to relatively high surface to volume ratio of such devices. One way of increasing energy output of micro combustors is to optimize its geometry by considering simplicity and easy manufacturability. In this study, effect of combustor geometric properties on combustion behavior of premixed hydrogen/air mixtures was numerically investigated. For this purpose, an experimentally tested micro combustor's geometric properties were modified by establishing a backward facing step which is varying distance from combustor inlet and has varying step height, and adding opposing cavities which are varying distance from combustor inlet and have constant length to depth ratio into the flow area. Modeling and simulation studies were performed using ANSYS Design Modeler and Fluent programs, respectively. Combustion behavior was analyzed by means of centerline and outer wall temperature distributions, amount of heat transferred through combustor wall, conversion ratio of input chemical energy to utilizable heat, and species distributions. Turbulence model used in this study is Renormalization Group (RNG) k-ε. Multistep combustion reaction scheme with 9 species and 19 steps was simulated using Eddy Dissipation Concept model (EDC). Results showed that backward facing step in the flame region alters reaction zone distribution, flame length and shape, and consequently temperature value and distribution throughout the combustor. Lastly cavity was found to slightly increase peak temperature value.