Evaluation of flow and flame characteristics of turbulent bluff-body CH4-H2 flame using LES-FPV approach

This study investigated the flow and flame structure of a bluff-body stabilised CH4-H-2 flame using the large eddy simulation (LES) and the flamelet progress variable (FPV) model. The performance of three subgrid-scale (SGS) LES models, i.e. the standard Smagorinsky model (SSM), the wall-adapting local eddy viscosity (WALE) model, and the dynamic Smagorinsky model (DSM) in predicting turbulent and reactive flow characteristics was assessed. Parameters, namely y(+), Pope index (M), vorticity field, and resolved turbulent kinetic energy (k(t)), were analysed to determine the predictive capability of the three models. The results demonstrated that DSM and WALE successfully resolved 80% of k(t) for chosen grid configurations, whereas SSM exhibited discrepancies. The overall trends captured by all three models matched well with the experimental trend with DSM and WALE outperforming SSM in predicting reacting flow fields in the recirculation zone, while SSM produced better predictions in the regions away from the recirculating zone.