Flame structure and global flame response to the equivalence ratios of interacting partially premixed methane and hydrogen flames

The interacting partially premixed methane and hydrogen flames established in a one-dimensional counterflow field were investigated numerically with the OPPDIF code and GRI-v3.0 was used to consider both fuels. The flame structure and response of the maximum flame temperature, heat-release rate, and flame speed to the equivalence ratios (Φ) and global strain rate (ag) were investigated. The maximum temperature decreased with increasing ag. The maximum temperature for cases with a stoichiometric hydrogen-side flame was higher than for other cases with the same ag.The hydrogen-side flame played a key role in determining the maximum temperature. The maximum heat-release rates (MHRRs) for all cases show different trends. The MHRR of the methane-side flame was affected considerably by the interacting flame structure and hydrogen-side flame condition. However, the MHRRs of the hydrogen were independent of methane-side flame condition. For the cases where Φ of the methane-side flame was varied while the hydrogen-side flame was kept stoichiometric (Var-S), the MHRR and flame speed of the hydrogen-side flame were independent of the methane-side flame conditions. However, the methane-side flames had a negative flame speed except near-stoichiometric conditions. On the other hand, in the cases where Φ of the hydrogen-side flame was varied while the methane-side flame was kept stoichiometric (S-Var), the hydrogen-side flames had the MHRR and flame speed similar to those of an unstretched partially premixed hydrogen flame.

► Interacting partially premixed methane and hydrogen flames was investigated. ► Counterflow configuration was adopted to establish the interacting flames. ► Flame structures and global behavior of the interacting flames were examined. ► Contributions of each term in the energy and species equations were analyzed. ► Important elementary chemical kinetics in the flames was analyzed.