Next Generation CFD Code for Spray Combustion Simulations

Despite major advances in CFD technology over the past two decades, simulation of industrial spray combustion systems remains challenging due to difficulties in modeling various droplet physical phenomena and in dealing with the geometrical complexity. The proposed study will develop a 3-dimensional code incorporating advanced physical models for droplet transport/vaporization and spray combustion by using solution-adaptive unstructured meshes and efficient parallel algorithms.

The Phase 1 effort demonstrated proof-of-concept by developing a baseline spray dynamics module incorporating heat and mass transfer and coupling it with an existing unstructured reactive flow solver. Comparison of model predictions for non-evaporating and burning sprays with experimental data showed good agreement. In Phase 2, the code will be extended to include state-of-the art models for droplet physics, such as multi-component droplets; droplet-turbulence interactions; droplet deformation, breakup and collisions; soot and gaseous emissions; detailed chemical kinetics; and group combustion, and stochastic spray. Additionally, solution-adaptive meshing techniques and algorithm improvements will be incorporated into the code. As part of a verification study, the developed code will be subjected to a series of test cases for which analytical solutions are available. Comprehensive benchmark validation of the code will be performed against data being collected at the NIST Spray Combustion Facility. A variety of full-scale 3-D waste fuel furnace/incinerator simulations will be performed to demonstrate the capabilities of the code. Prof. Aswani Gupta of the University of Maryland and Prof. Clayton Crowe of Washington State University will be consultants during the Phase 2 project. Phase 3 commitments and endorsements have been obtained from Optomec, BMW--Rolls-Royce and Geo-Centers, Inc.