Numerical studies on flame inclination in porous media combustors

Inclinational instability developing during propagation of a filtration combustion wave in an inert porous medium is studied using two-dimensional numerical model. Stable and unstable combustion waves are generated by varying combustion parameters such as pressure, equivalence ratio, filtration velocity, effective conductivity of porous media, pellet diameter and combustor scale. The wave propagation velocity of inclinational flame is studied and compared with flat flame. The growth and reduction of inclinational instability are analyzed at different conditions. The numerical results show that a development of inclinational instability causes essential flow non-uniformity and can result in a separation of the flame front in the multiple flame zones. The limited conductive and radiant heat transfer in the solid phase, small pellet diameter of packed bed, high inlet velocity, large combustor scale and low equivalence ratio promote the instability growth. The inclinational instability is suppressed in a reciprocal combustor.