The effect of fuel turbulence intensity on NOx formation in turbulent diffusion CH4-air flames

Abstract

Axisymmetric sudden-expansion geometry of a co-flowing methane-air diffusion flame is considered here in order to investigate the effect of inlet fuel turbulence intensity on the NOx formation and temperature fields using k-epsilon turbulence and beta-PDF combustion models. Both thermal and prompt mechanisms are utilized to predict NO formation in the combustor. The predicted velocity fields and temperature distribution illustrate acceptable agreement to published experimental and numerical data. The obtained results show that increasing fuel turbulence intensity results in decreasing NO formation in the flame zone.