Modeling of a turbulent diffusion flame of propane by means of large eddy simulation

A method of modeling turbulent combustion is implemented by an example of the diffusion flame of propane. A grid is generated, and tests are performed to verify that the grid element size is sufficient to satisfy criteria of the turbulence scale needed for large eddy simulation (LES). Results of numerical modeling of the temperature distribution during combustion of a diffusion flame of propane obtained by using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and LES approaches in a three-dimensional formulation are presented, and the numerical model is validated in terms of the main and intermediate combustion products. LES results for the temperature distribution in the combustion zone agree much better with experimental data than RANS predictions, and model validation based on the LES approach is confirmed by the analysis of numerical and experimental data on the main and intermediate combustion products. The averaged numerical parameters of turbulent combustion of the diffusion flame of propane can be used for determining the most complicated products of incomplete combustion of the fuel, e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by means of kinetic modeling with detailed chemical kinetics.