Numerical Study of the Effect of the Diameter of Alumina Balls on Flame Stabilization in a Porous-Medium Burner

Abstract

The results of a computer simulation analysis of a porous-medium burner with a double layer of alumina balls are reported. The objectives are the determination of the stabilization ranges, for gas velocity and equivalence ratio, by studying the combustion wave velocity, and optimization of these variables to decrease the formation of pollutants in the combustion of methane. The computer simulation shows the importance of high temperatures in the formation of NO _x by Zeldovich's route. The optimum conditions found consider values of the operational variables that provide low temperatures and minimize exposure of the reagents to them.

The support of CONICYT—Chile under FONDECYT Project 1050241, and of the Academia Politécnica Aeronáutica de la FACH, Chile, is gratefully acknowledged.

Notes

^a The rate constants for the reverse reaction are calculated by the methods of thermodynamics. The program, from its thermodynamics database for the species, can calculate the equilibrium constant for the elementary reaction and therefore the reverse rate constant when the constant of the direct reaction is known.

^a The mathematical model of Filtburn8e is 2-D, and it can be used in 1-D form as in the present work.

^a Concentration of species at the burner outlet. For NO this coincides with the maximum value of the pollutant.