Effect of hydrogen on H2/CH4 flame structure of MILD combustion using the LES method

Large eddy simulation (LES) method is employed to investigate the effect of the hydrogen content of fuel on the H2/CH4 flame structure under the moderate or intense low-oxygen dilution (MILD) condition. The turbulence–chemistry interaction of the numerically unresolved scales is modelled using the PaSR method, where the full mechanism of GRI-2.11 represents the chemical reactions. The influence of hydrogen concentration on the flame structure is studied using the profiles of temperature, CH2O and OH mass fractions and the diffusion profiles of un-burnt fuel through the flame front. Furthermore, more details are investigated by contours of OH, HCO and CH2O radicals in an area near the nozzle exit zone. Results show that increasing the hydrogen content of fuel reinforces the MILD combustion zone and increases the peak value of the flame temperature and OH mass fraction. This increment also increases the flame thickness and reduces the OH oscillations and diffusion of the un-burnt fuel through the flame front.

► Using LES to study effects of hydrogen content of fuel on the MILD flame structure. ► Increasing hydrogen, reduces diffusion of un-burnt fuel through the reaction zone. ► Increasing hydrogen damps OH oscillations and reinforces the reaction zone.