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Effect of obstacles on flame propagation and pressure build upFlame acceleration which is typically followed an ignition and laminar burning of hydrogen-air mixtures can have different origin. in fact, flame acceleration in all cases is connected with the presence and / or production of turbulence. One can distinguish at least three sources for turbulence production and therefore for flame acceleration: ![]() Figure 1. Accelerating flame (left column), DDT, and quasi-detonation (two right columns) in 2D half-channel with obstacles computed for d/2 = 2 cm, L = 64 cm, dxmin = 1/512 cm. Times in milliseconds are shown in frame corners [Gamezo et al. 2007] The particular process of the flame acceleration is a complex non-linear evolution of pressure perturbations linked to the combustion processes. However, generally it can be considered as a result of interaction of a series of relatively simple events. A flame during its propagation generates acoustic waves that can interact after reflections from the obstacles and channel walls with the flame front and develop flame perturbations through a variety of instability mechanisms. Such instabilities have been observed by Guenoche (1949) and Leyer & Manson (1971) in tubes, by Kogarko & Ryzkor (1992) in spherical chambers, and by van Wingerden & Zeeuwen (1983) and Tamanini & Chaffee (1992) in vented enclosures. Flame acoustic instabilities are usually associated with relatively slow flames in open atmosphere or enclosures that are free of obstacles. Turbulence inducing obstacles have shown to reduce relative contribution of acoustic instabilities on flame propagation and pressure build-up (Tamanini & Chaffee 1992). It has been also shown experimentally that such instabilities can be successfully eliminated by lining the enclosure or tube walls with materials that can absorb acoustic waves (TeodorczykA:1995a). The nature of the acoustic-flame instabilities have been reviewed by Oran & Gardner (1985) and Searby&Rochwerger (1991), Joulin (1994), Jackson et al.(1993) and Kansa&Perlee (1976) studied them in detail. These mechanisms cause flame distortion and wave amplification. Generally, if confinement and/or obstacles are present, several powerful instabilities may strongly influence flame propagation. These are Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) shear instability and Rayleigh-Tailor (R-T) density difference instability. In compressible flows the R-T instability is known as Richtmyer-Meshkov (R-M) instability. Both K-H and R-T instabilities are triggered when the flame is accelerated over an obstacle or through a vent. Detailed studies of flame propagation over single obstacle were performed by Wolanski&Wojcicki (1981) and Tsuruda&Hirano (1987). Finally, sufficient fast flames can produce a shock wave that can reflect off a wall and/or an obstacle and interact with the flame. As shown by Markstein&Somers (1953), Scarinci et al.(1993) and Thomas et al.(1997) this can result in severe flame distorsion and in extreme cases cause DDT. Gamezo et al.(2007) have studied flame acceleration in channels with obstacles using advanced 2D and 3D reactive Navier-Stokes numerical simulations. Computations have shown that during flame acceleration shock-flame interactions, R-T, R-M and K-H instabilities, and flame-vortex interactions in obstacle wakes are responsible for the increase of the flame surface area, the energy-release rate, and, eventually, the shock strength. As the flame passes obstacles (Fig. 1), it wrinkles due to R-T instability caused by the flow acceleration. The unreacted flow ahead of the flame becomes sonic. Noticeable shocks begin to form ahead of the flame and they reflect from obstacles and side walls, and interact with the flame triggering R-M instabilities. The K-H instabilities develop at the flame surface when a jet of hot burned material passes through a narrow part of the channel and a shear layer forms downstream of the obstacle. The elevated temperature behind shocks also contributes to the increased energy-release rate. Craven A.D. and Greig T.R. (1968) The development of detonation over-pressures in pipelines. IChemE Symposium Series, 25:41-50.(BibTeX) << Borghi-diagram and interpretation of combustion regimes | Content | Effect of flow turbulence >> |