Direct numerical simulation of lean premixed CH4/air and H2/air flames at high Karlovitz numbers

Three-dimensional direct numerical simulation with detailed chemical kinetics of lean premixed CH4/air and H2/air flames at high Karlovitz numbers (Ka ∼ 1800) is carried out. It is found that the high intensity turbulence along with differential diffusion result in a much more rapid transport of H radicals from the reaction zone to the low temperature unburned mixtures (∼500 K) than that in laminar flamelets. The enhanced concentration of H radicals in the low temperature zone drastically increases the reaction rates of exothermic chain terminating reactions (e.g., H + O2+M = HO2 + M in lean H2/air flames), which results in a significantly enhanced heat release rate at low temperatures. This effect is observed in both CH4/air and H2/air flames and locally, the heat release rate in the low temperature zone can exceed the peak heat release rate of a laminar flamelet. The effects of chemical kinetics and transport properties on the H2/air flame are investigated, from which it is concluded that the enhanced heat release rate in the low temperature zone is a convection–diffusion-reaction phenomenon, and to obtain it, detailed chemistry is essential and detailed transport is important.