Numerical study on spark ignition of laminar lean premixed methane-air flames in counterflow configuration

ABSTRACT

In the present work, the ignition of lean laminar premixed methane-air flames in a counterflow configuration is investigated using detailed numerical simulations. The dependence of the minimum energy necessary for a successful ignition on various parameters (spark geometry, spark duration, mixture composition, flow strain rates) is studied. A one-dimensional numerical calculation is performed using detailed chemical kinetics for the methane-air combustion system. Depending on various parameters, the system can be either successfully ignited (stable flame as stationary solution) or quenched (quenched flame as stationary solution). Furthermore, different detailed chemical mechanisms have been tested. A sensitivity analysis with respect to the Arrhenius parameters shows the key elementary reactions in the prediction of the minimal energy necessary for a successful ignition, which provides important information in the development of detailed chemical mechanisms.

KEYWORDS:

• Nonpremixed flame
• spark ignition
• laminar flame
• methane system
• detailed chemistry

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) within the project DFG/MOST project MA 1205/26.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [MA 1205/26].