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Tut 02 Intro Tut 17 Non Premix Combustion PDF
Tut 02 Intro Tut 17 Non Premix Combustion PDF
17.1. Introduction
A 300KW BERL combustor simulation is modeled using a non-premixed model. The reaction can be modeled
using either the species transport model or the non-premixed combustion model. In this tutorial you will
set up and solve a natural gas combustion problem using the non-premixed combustion model for the re-
action chemistry.
The non-premixed combustion model uses a modeling approach that solves transport equations for one or
two conserved scalars (mixture fractions). Multiple chemical species, including radicals and intermediate
species, may be included in the problem definition. Their concentrations will be derived from the predicted
mixture fraction distribution.
Property data for the species are accessed through a chemical database and turbulence-chemistry interaction
is modeled using a -function for the PDF. For details on the non-premixed combustion modeling approach,
see "Modeling Non-Premixed Combustion" in the User's Guide.
17.2. Prerequisites
This tutorial is written with the assumption that you have completed Introduction to Using ANSYS FLUENT:
Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in a Mixing Elbow (p. 111), and that you are familiar with the ANSYS FLUENT nav-
igation pane and menu structure. Some steps in the setup and solution procedure will not be shown explicitly.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
The furnace walls are capable of being refractory-lined or water-cooled. The burner features 24 radial fuel
ports and a bluff centerbody. Air is introduced through an annular inlet and movable swirl blocks are used
to impart swirl. The combustor dimensions are described in Figure 17.1 (p. 652), and Figure 17.2 (p. 653) shows
a close-up of the burner assuming 2D axisymmetry. The boundary condition profiles, velocity inlet boundary
conditions of the gas, and temperature boundary conditions are based on experimental data [1].
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17.4.1. Preparation
17.4.1. Preparation
1. Download non_premix_combustion.zip from the ANSYS Customer Portal or the User Services
Center to your working folder (as described in Preparation (p. 4) of Introduction to Using ANSYS FLU-
ENT in ANSYS Workbench: Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in a Mixing Elbow (p. 1)).
2. Unzip non_premix_combustion.zip.
The files, berl.msh and berl.prof can be found in the non_premix_combustion folder, which
will be created after unzipping the file.
The mesh file, berl.msh is a quadrilateral mesh describing the system geometry shown in Figure 17.1 (p. 652)
and Figure 17.2 (p. 653).
3. Use FLUENT Launcher to start the 2D version of ANSYS FLUENT.
4. Enable Double-Precision.
For more information about FLUENT Launcher, see Starting ANSYS FLUENT Using FLUENT Launcher in
the User's Guide.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
Note
The Display Options are enabled by default. Therefore, after you read in the mesh, it will be
displayed in the embedded graphics window.
The ANSYS FLUENT console will report that the mesh contains 9784 quadrilateral cells. A warning will be
generated informing you to consider making changes to the zone type, or to change the problem definition
to axisymmetric. You will change the problem to axisymmetric swirl in Step 2.
General
General → Check
ANSYS FLUENT will perform various checks on the mesh and will report the progress in the console. Ensure
that the reported minimum volume is a positive number.
2. Scale the mesh.
General → Scale...
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17.4.3. Step 2: General Settings
b. Select mm from the Mesh Was Created In drop-down list in the Scaling group box.
c. Click Scale to scale the mesh.
d. Close the Scale Mesh dialog box.
3. Check the mesh.
General → Check
Note
It is a good idea to check the mesh after you manipulate it (i.e., scale, convert to polyhedra,
merge, separate, fuse, add zones, or smooth and swap.) This will ensure that the quality of
the mesh has not been compromised.
Due to the mesh resolution and the size of the domain, you may find it more useful to display just the
outline, or to zoom in on various portions of the mesh display.
Extra
You can use the mouse zoom button (middle button, by default) to zoom in to the display
and the mouse probe button (right button, by default) to find out the boundary zone labels.
The zone labels will be displayed in the console.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
The full geometry will be displayed, as shown in Figure 17.4 (p. 656)
Figure 17.4 2D BERL Combustor Mesh Display Including the Symmetry Plane
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17.4.4. Step 3: Models
General
The non-premixed combustion model is available only with the pressure-based solver.
b. Select Axisymmetric Swirl in the 2D Space list.
Models
Since heat transfer occurs in the system considered here, you will have to solve the energy equation.
2. Select the standard k-epsilon turbulence model.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
For axisymmetric swirling flow, the RNG k-epsilon model can also be used.
b. Retain all other default settings.
c. Click OK to close the Viscous Model dialog box.
3. Select the P1 radiation model.
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17.4.4. Step 3: Models
The ANSYS FLUENT console will list the properties that are required for the model you have enabled.
An Information dialog box will open, reminding you to confirm the property values.
The DO radiation model produces a more accurate solution than the P1 radiation model but it can be CPU
intensive. The P1 model will produce a quick, acceptable solution for this problem.
For details on the different radiation models available in ANSYS FLUENT, see "Modeling Heat Transfer"
in the User's Guide.
4. Select the Non-Premixed Combustion model.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
The dialog box will expand to show the related inputs. You will use this dialog box to create the PDF
table.
When you use the non-premixed combustion model, you need to create a PDF table. This table contains
information on the thermo-chemistry and its interaction with turbulence. ANSYS FLUENT interpolates
the PDF during the solution of the non-premixed combustion model.
b. Enable Inlet Diffusion in the PDF Options group box.
The Inlet Diffusion option enables the mixture fraction to diffuse out of the domain through inlets
and outlets.
c. Define chemistry models.
i. Retain the default selection of Equilibrium and Non-Adiabatic.
For combustion cases, a value larger than 10% – 50% of the stoichiometric mixture fraction can
be used for the rich flammability limit of the fuel stream. In this case, the stoichiometric fraction
is 0.058, therefore a value that is 10% greater is 0.064.
The Fuel Stream Rich Flammability Limit allows you to perform a “partial equilibrium” calcula-
tion, suspending equilibrium calculations when the mixture fraction exceeds the specified rich
limit. This increases the efficiency of the PDF calculation, allowing you to bypass the complex
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17.4.4. Step 3: Models
equilibrium calculations in the fuel-rich region. This is also more physically realistic than the as-
sumption of full equilibrium.
d. Click the Boundary tab to add and define the boundary species.
The fuel composition is entered in mole fractions of the species, c2h6, c3h8, c4h10, and co2.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
Tip
Note
All boundary species with a mass or mole fraction of zero will be ignored.
v. Enter 315 K for Fuel and Oxid in the Temperature group box.
e. Click the Control tab and retain default species to be excluded from the equilibrium calculation.
f. Click the Table tab to specify the table parameters and calculate the PDF table.
i. Retain the default values for all the parameters in the Table Parameters group box.
The maximum number of species determines the number of most preponderant species to consider
after the equilibrium calculation is performed.
ii. Click Calculate PDF Table to compute the non-adiabatic PDF table.
iii. Click the Display PDF Table... button to open the PDF Table dialog box.
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17.4.4. Step 3: Models
A. Retain the default parameters and click Display (Figure 17.5 (p. 663)).
B. Close the PDF Table dialog box.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
The 3D look-up tables are reviewed on a slice-by-slice basis. By default, the slice selected is that corres-
ponding to the adiabatic enthalpy values. You can also select other slices of constant enthalpy for
display.
The maximum and minimum values for mean temperature and the corresponding mean mixture
fraction will also be reported in the console. The maximum mean temperature is reported as 2246 K
at a mean mixture fraction of 0.058.
g. Save the PDF output file (berl.pdf).
By default, the file will be saved as formatted (ASCII, or text). To save a binary (unformatted) file,
enable the Write Binary Files option in the Select File dialog box.
h. Click OK to close the Species Model dialog box.
Materials
All thermodynamic data for the continuous phase, including density, specific heat, and formation enthalpies
are extracted from the chemical database when the non-premixed combustion model is used. These prop-
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17.4.6. Step 5: Boundary Conditions
erties are transferred to the pdf-mixture material, for which only transport properties, such as viscosity
and thermal conductivity need to be defined.
a. Select wsggm-domain-based from the Absorption Coefficient drop-down list.
Tip
For more details, see Radiation in Combusting Flows of the Theory Guide.
b. Click Change/Create and close the Create/Edit Materials dialog box.
You can click the View... button next to Mixture Species to view the species included in the pdf-mixture
material. These are the species included during the system chemistry setup. The Density and Cp (Specific
Heat) laws cannot be altered: these properties are stored in the non-premixed combustion look-up tables.
ANSYS FLUENT uses the gas law to compute the mixture density and a mass-weighted mixing law to compute
the mixture . When the non-premixed combustion model is used, do not alter the properties of the indi-
vidual species. This will create an inconsistency with the PDF look-up table.
Boundary Conditions
The CFD solution for reacting flows can be sensitive to the boundary conditions, in particular the incoming
velocity field and the heat transfer through the walls. Here, you will use profiles to specify the velocity at
air-inlet-4, and the wall temperature for wall-9. The latter approach of fixing the wall temperature to
measurements is common in furnace simulations, to avoid modeling the wall convective and radiative heat
transfer. The data used for the boundary conditions was obtained from experimental data [1].
2. Set the boundary conditions for the pressure outlet (poutlet-3).
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
a. Select Intensity and Hydraulic Diameter from the Specification Method drop-down list in the
Turbulence group box.
b. Enter 5% for Backflow Turbulent Intensity.
c. Enter 600 mm for Backflow Hydraulic Diameter.
d. Click the Thermal tab and enter 1300 K for Backflow Total Temperature.
e. Click OK to close the Pressure Outlet dialog box.
The exit gauge pressure of zero defines the system pressure at the exit to be the operating pressure. The
backflow conditions for scalars (temperature, mixture fraction, turbulence parameters) will be used only if
flow is entrained into the domain through the exit. It is a good idea to use reasonable values in case flow
reversal occurs at the exit at some point during the solution process.
3. Set the boundary conditions for the velocity inlet (air-inlet-4).
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17.4.6. Step 5: Boundary Conditions
Turbulence parameters are defined based on intensity and length scale. The relatively large turbulence
intensity of 17% may be typical for combustion air flows.
g. Click the Thermal tab and enter 312 K for Temperature.
For the non-premixed combustion calculation, you have to define the inlet Mean Mixture Fraction
and Mixture Fraction Variance in the Species tab. In this case, the gas phase air inlet has a zero
mixture fraction. Therefore, you can retain the zero default settings.
h. Click OK to close the Velocity Inlet dialog box.
4. Set the boundary conditions for the velocity inlet (fuel-inlet-5).
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
The hydraulic diameter has been set to twice the height of the 2D inlet stream.
f. Click the Thermal tab and enter 308 K for Temperature.
g. Click the Species tab and enter 1 for Mean Mixture Fraction for the fuel inlet.
h. Click OK to close the Velocity Inlet dialog box.
5. Set the boundary conditions for wall-6.
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17.4.6. Step 5: Boundary Conditions
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
8. Plot the profiles of velocity for the swirling air inlet (air-inlet-4).
a. Plot the profile of axial-velocity for the swirling air inlet.
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17.4.6. Step 5: Boundary Conditions
Figure 17.7 Profile Plot of Axial-Velocity for the Swirling Air Inlet (air-inlet-4)
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
Figure 17.8 Profile Plot of Swirl-Velocity for the Swirling Air Inlet (air-inlet-4)
Boundary Conditions
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17.4.8. Step 7: Solution
The Operating Pressure was already set in the PDF table generation in Step 3.
Solution Methods
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
a. Select Coupled from Scheme drop-down list in the Pressure-Velocity Coupling group box.
b. Select PRESTO! from the Pressure drop-down list in the Spatial Discretization group box.
c. Select Second Order Upwind for all the parameters except Mixture Fraction Variance.
2. Set the solution controls.
Solution Controls
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17.4.8. Step 7: Solution
The default under-relaxation factors are considered to be too aggressive for reacting flow cases with
high swirl velocity.
3. Enable the display of residuals during the solution process.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
Solution Initialization
Note
For flows in complex topologies, hybrid initialization will provide better initial velocity
and pressure fields than standard initialization. This in general will help in improving
the convergence behavior of the solver.
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17.4.9. Step 8: Postprocessing
Run Calculation
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
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17.4.9. Step 8: Postprocessing
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17.4.10. Step 9: Energy Balances Reporting
1. Compute the gas phase mass fluxes through the domain boundaries.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
a. Retain the default selection of Mass Flow Rate in the Options group box.
b. Select air-inlet-4, fuel-inlet-5, and poutlet-3 from the Boundaries selection list.
c. Click Compute.
The net mass imbalance should be a small fraction (say, 0.5% or less) of the total flux through the system.
If a significant imbalance occurs, you should decrease your residual tolerances by at least an order of
magnitude and continue iterating.
2. Compute the fluxes of heat through the domain boundaries.
The value will be displayed in the console. Positive flux reports indicate heat addition to the domain.
Negative values indicate heat leaving the domain. Again, the net heat imbalance should be a small
fraction (say, 0.5% or less) of the total energy flux through the system. The reported value may change
for different runs.
3. Compute the mass weighted average of the temperature at the pressure outlet.
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17.6. References
17.5. Summary
In this tutorial you learned how to use the non-premixed combustion model to represent the gas phase
combustion chemistry. In this approach the fuel composition was defined and assumed to react according
to the equilibrium system data. This equilibrium chemistry model can be applied to other turbulent, diffusion-
reaction systems. You can also model gas combustion using the finite-rate chemistry model.
You also learned how to set up and solve a gas phase combustion problem using the P1 radiation model,
and applying the appropriate absorption coefficient.
17.6. References
1. A. Sayre, N. Lallement, and J. Dugu, and R. Weber “Scaling Characteristics of Aerodynamics and Low-
NOx Properties of Industrial Natural Gas Burners”, The SCALING 400 Study, Part IV: The 300 KW BERL
Test Results, IFRF Doc No F40/y/11, International Flame Research Foundation, The Netherlands.
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Chapter 17: Using the Non-Premixed Combustion Model
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