A Numerical Study on the Effects of the Geometry and Location of an Inserted Wire on Methane–Air Flames in a Micro–Burner

Abstract

The effects of the diameter and location of an inserted wire on methane–air flame characteristics in a micro-burner, with a backward-facing step, were investigated numerically. Our goal was to shed light on the parameters that the authors had not already considered in the previous study. To do so, the effects of the studied parameters on the flame location and distribution of temperature, H, and OH species, were scrutinized. It was shown that increasing the inserted wire’s diameter and relocating the inserted wire towards the outlet had polynomial and linear effects on the flame location in the burner, respectively. Although changing these two parameters did not have any obvious effects on the maximum temperature of the auxiliary axis in the burner or the external wall, effects on the peak values of the hot-flame critical chemical species of OH and H were recognized. Furthermore, it was shown that the temperature distribution on the outer surface of the burner was more influenced by the wire’s axial location in the burner, rather than the wire’s diameter. This effect may be of interest for designing micro-TPVs or micro-TEGs.