Synergy of turbulence and thermo-diffusive effects on the intermittent boundary-layer flashback of swirling flames

TL;DR

This study uses large-eddy simulation to analyze how turbulence and thermo-diffusive effects influence the intermittent boundary-layer flashback in hydrogen-enriched swirling flames, revealing mechanisms behind the phenomenon.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed LES-FSD modeling approach to investigate the combined effects of turbulence and thermo-diffusive phenomena on BLF in swirling flames with varying hydrogen content.

Findings

BLF characteristics vary with hydrogen volume fraction.

Simulation results align with experimental data for low and moderate hydrogen levels.

Deep BLF events are driven by boundary layer separation due to turbulent burning velocity.

Abstract

We simulated the intermittent boundary-layer flashback (BLF) of hydrogen-enriched swirling flames using large-eddy simulation (LES) with the flame-surface-density (FSD) method. Three cases of intermittent BLF, characterized by periodic flame entry and exit of the mixing tube, are presented. The intermittent BLF characteristics varied with the hydrogen volume fraction. Small flame bulges entered and exited the mixing tube in low hydrogen-enrichment cases. The duration of intermittent BLF events and BLF depth increased as the hydrogen content increased. Meanwhile, a large flame tongue penetrating deeply upstream characterised the highest hydrogen-enrichment case.The mean BLF peak depths and standard deviations obtained through simulations aligned well with experimental data for low and moderate hydrogen-enrichment cases. However, LES-FSD underestimated the average BLF peak depth for the highest hydrogen-enrichment case.Analysis of the flow-flame interaction revealed two mechanisms underlying the intermittent BLF phenomena. The flame bulges' oscillation near the outlet is caused by the reverse flow induced by the recirculation zone. At the same time, the deep intermittent BLF occurrs due to the boundary layer separation induced by the large turbulent burning velocity, resulting from the synergy of turbulence and thermo-diffusive effects.