Pabitra Badhuk

S.R. No. 05-07-00-10-42-16-1-13281

Modeling of counter-flow diffusion flames using finite volume method

Counter-flow geometry consists of two concentric circular nozzles directed towards each other.
I will try to model non-premixed combustion of methane in this Geometry. The geometry gives
rise to a stagnation plane between two nozzles and a flat flame exists on one side of the
stagnation plane depending on the flow velocities. This configuration is of specific interest in
academic purpose because the flat nature of the flame allows for detailed study of flame
chemistry and structure. The geometry of the flow is axisymmetric, but the two dimensional
stagnation flow can be reduced to a one dimensional flow using similarity solution techniques
derived by Von Karman1 . The governing equations of the system include the continuity
equation, y-momentum equation, the energy equation and the species conservation equations.
In this project I will try to discretize the governing equations using finite volume technique. The
numerical simulation then can be done using ANSYS Fluent. The Chemical mechanisms involved
are already available in the web and can be imported in Fluent. The results obtained can be
verified using the existing literature.

I have found the following papers on the above topic.

1. MITCHELL D. SMOOKE, ‘’Solution of Burner-Stabilized Premixed Laminar flames by

boundary value methods’’. JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS 48, 72-105 (1982).
2. W.A.HAHN and J.O.L. WENDT, ‘’NOx formation in flat, laminar, opposed jet methane
diffusion flames’’. Eighteenth symposium (international) on combustion. The
combustion Institute, 1981.
3. M.D. SMOOKE et. al., ‘’ A comparison between numerical calculations and experimental
measurements of the structure of a counter-flow diffusion flame burning diluted
methane in diluted air ’’. Twenty-first symposium (international) on combustion/ The
combustion institute. 1986/ pp. 1783-1792.