Large-Eddy/Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulation of combustion oscillations in a cavity-based supersonic combustor

Combustion oscillations in a supersonic combustor with hydrogen injection upstream of a cavity flameholder are investigated numerically using a hybrid RANS/LES (Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes/Large-Eddy Simulation) method acting as a wall-modeled LES. A turbulent boundary layer with thickness of δinf = 2.5 mm is considered and a recycling/rescaling method is adopted to treat the unsteady inflow. The results show that combustion oscillations can mainly be attributed to two mechanisms. One is the unsteady flame spreading from the cavity shear layer to the main stream, which is greatly influenced by the interaction of the jet-with-cavity shear layer. This mechanism leads to relatively low-frequency oscillations that correspond to the cavity-shear layer oscillations. The other is the auto-ignition of the combustible fluid packets formed around the fuel jet accompanied by the generation of the hairpin-like vortices, which leads to relatively high-frequency oscillations that correspond to the jet instabilities.

► Combustion oscillations in a supersonic combustor are investigated numerically. ► One oscillation mechanism is the unsteady flame spreading. ► Another oscillation mechanism is the auto-ignition of combustible fluid packets.