Numerical simulation of a backward-facing step combustor using reynolds-averaged navier–stokes / extended partially stirred reactor model

Abstract

The authors adapt recently developed a large eddy simulation / extended partially stirred reactor (LES/EPaSR) model by Sabelnikov and Fureby for simulation of turbulent combustion to Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations. The proposed RANS/EPaSR model is validated against experimental database created at ONERA for an air–methane premixed flame stabilized by a backward-facing step combustor. The RANS/EPaSR model is compared also with the following RANSbased combustion models: (i) quasi-laminar model with reduced chemical mechanism (QL RCM); (ii) premixed flamelet tabulated chemistry (PFTC) without taking into account the turbulence–chemistry interaction (TCI); and (iii) a PFTC with a presumed β probability density function (PDF) for a progress combustion variable.