Using direct numerical simulations to understand premixed turbulent combustion

In the last 10 years, direct numerical simulations (DNS) have become one of the most effective tools to understand and model premixed turbulent combustion. Examples of applications reviewed in this article illustrate the potential of DNS techniques in studies of turbulence structure, flame wrinkling by turbulence, flame geometry, quenching, stretch, curvature, turbulent diffusion, and flame-generated turbulence. Interactions of flames with vortices, turbulence and Rails, triple flame structures, or flame ignition in turbulent flows are specifically discussed. Implications of DNS results for turbulent combustion modeling are presented through different examples. The capacities and Limitations of DNS tools are reviewed in terms of physics and computational requirements. The presentation starts with the simplest, most inexpensive tools and ends with codes able to deal with complex chemistry, transport, and thermodynamics.