Computational fluid dynamics modelling of ultra-lean porous burners (Q614248)

Summary: Porous burners offer potential for ultra-lean methane emission mitigation by combustion. In these systems, heat recirculation between the porous medium and the fuel stream leads to enhanced combustion behaviour. In this research, conductive, convective and radiative heat transfer models were added in the commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code ANSYS CFX, to describe the interaction between the porous solid and the fluid. Relatively detailed skeletal kinetic mechanisms were implemented and a stiff chemistry solver was used to account for the differing chemical and fluid dynamics timescales. Results from test cases are presented to illustrate the model performance and to highlight some computational issues.