The relative importance of combustion mechanisms in industrial premixed flames under high pressure

A two-dimensional model is presented simulating the combustion characteristics of a premixed propane–oxygen flame at elevated pressures. Such flames are commonly encountered in flaming processes, in cutting, melting or drying applications. The model takes account of the turbulent flow characteristics, the reaction rates controlled by turbulent mixing and chemical kinetics mechanisms and heat transfer with convection and radiation. The equations are integrated with the use of the finite-volume method and are solved for the velocity field, the temperature field and the concentration of reactants and products. The computational results are compared with the experimental data from the literature with satisfactory qualitative agreement. The mechanisms that control the premixed combustion phenomenon under different pressures (atmospheric and higher pressures) are analyzed and the effects of elevated pressure on the turbulence characteristics are established. The findings are used for the evaluation of the performance of the employed two-dimensional computational model.