Large eddy simulation of a premixed propane turbulent bluff body flame using the Eulerian stochastic field method

A premixed propane/air flame stabilized on a triangular bluff body was studied by numerical simulation as a simplified model of many practical propulsion and power generation systems. The sub-grid scale (sgs) probability density function (pdf) approach in conjunction with the stochastic fields solution method is used to account for sgs turbulence-chemistry interactions; a skeleton chemistry mechanism with 4 reaction steps and 7 species was used to describe the propane-air reaction. Three cases, one non-reacting and two reacting were studied. The instantaneous flow pattern and CO concentration are discussed and the averaged velocity and temperature, the RMS velocity and temperature fluctuations and averaged CO mass fraction profiles are compared with the experimental data. The simulations show very good agreement with the experimental data demonstrating the capability of the LES method coupled with the sgs-pdf method in representing premixed combustion in complex flame configurations.