• Energy Research
• mechanical engineering close

Abstract The aim of this study is to examine the performance of numerical spray combustion simulation. A numerical simulation for the prediction of local properties of heavy oil spray flames stabilized by a baffle plate is described. Time-averaged governing conservation equations are solved to estimate the combustion gas flow, gas composition and temperature fields in the experimental combustor. The κ-e turbulence model is used to describe the turbulent flow field. The behavior of fuel droplets in the turbulent combustion gas flow is calculated by the Lagrangian method. The combustion rate of fuel vapor is estimated by the eddy dissipation model. The effects of radiation are accounted for by the six-flux model of radiation. The performance of the simulation is examined by comparison with measured data. In the isothermal (cold) case, the calculated flow pattern is compared with the data measured by LDA, and it is clear that the calculated results show quantitative agreement with the measured data. In the combustion case, however, the simulation cannot predict well the measured profiles of temperature, O 2 and CO 2 concentrations near the baffle plate. It is inferred that this simulation cannot estimate accurately the interaction between the recirculation flow induced by the baffle plate and fuel droplets.