Large-eddy simulation of a lifted methane jet flame in a vitiated coflow

The impact of burned gases on flame stabilization is analyzed under the conditions of a laboratory jet flame in vitiated collow. In this experiment, mass flow rate, temperature, and the exact chemical composition of hot products mixed with air sent toward the turbulent flame base are fully determined. Autoignition and partially premixed flame propagation are investigated for these operating conditions from simulations of prototype combustion problems using fully detailed chemistry. Using available instantaneous species and temperature measurements, a priori tests are then performed to estimate the prediction capabilities of chemistry tabulations built from these archetypal reacting flows. The links between autoignition and premixed flamelet tables are discussed, along with their controlling parameters. Using these results, large-eddy simulation of the turbulent diluted jet flame is performed, a new closure for the scalar dissipation rate of reactive species is discussed, and numerical predictions are successfully compared with experiments. (C) 2007 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.