Large-eddy simulation of a swirl-stabilized turbulent kerosene spray flame in a model combustor

Abstract

Kerosene is widely employed as aviation fuel of aeroengines. The combustion of kerosene spray is quite complex, which involves atomization of the fuel jet, breakup of spray droplets, and turbulent mixing between kerosene vapour and air. Large-eddy simulation (LES) is a useful high-fidelity numerical technique to study the complex multiphase turbulent combustion phenomena in kerosene flames. In the present study, flamelet generated manifold (FGM) chemistry tabulation approach is coupled with artificial thickened flame (ATF) model to describe the burning of kerosene under the LES framework. The FGM-ATF-LES approach take the complex chemical kinetic effects of kerosene combustion into account with a minor computational cost. A swirl-stabilized turbulent kerosene spray flame in a model combustor is investigated with the proposed FGM-ATF-LES approach and the overall partially premixed flame characteristics are well predicted by the LES simulation.