Investigation of the Coupling Schemes between the Discrete and the Continuous Phase in the Numerical Simulation of a 60 kWth Swirling Pulverised Solid Fuel Flame under Oxyfuel Conditions

Abstract

Detailed numerical analyses of pulverised solid fuel flames are computationally expensive due to the intricate interplay between chemical reactions, turbulent multiphase flow, and heat transfer. The near-burner region, characterised by a high particle number density, is particularly influenced by these interactions. The accurate modelling of these phenomena is crucial for describing flame characteristics. This study examined the reciprocal impact between the discrete phase and the continuous phase using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations. The numerical model was developed in Ansys Fluent and equipped with user-defined functions that adapt the modelling of combustion sub-processes, in particular, devolatilisation, char conversion, and radiative heat transfer under oxyfuel conditions. The aim was to identify the appropriate degree of detail necessary for modelling the interaction between discrete and continuous phases, specifically concerning mass, momentum, energy, and turbulence, to effectively apply it in high-fidelity numerical simulations. The results of the numerical model show good agreement in comparison with experimental data and large-eddy simulations. In terms of the coupling schemes, the results indicate significant reciprocal effects between the discrete and the continuous phases for mass and energy coupling; however, the effect of particles on the gas phase for momentum and turbulence coupling was observed to be negligible. For the investigated chamber, these results are shown to be slightly affected by the local gas phase velocity and temperature fields as long as the global oxygen ratio between the provided and needed amount of oxygen as well as the thermal output of the flame are kept constant.