A Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Performance of a Nonsprayed Porous Burner

Abstract

The performance of a nonsprayed porous burner (NSPB) is investigated through both numerical and experimental studies. The major requirement of liquid fuel combustion systems is excellent fuel vaporization, which is accomplished by using porous medium. Instead of heterogeneous combustion, which occurs in free space of a conventional sprayed burner, a homogeneous combustion of vaporized kerosene and air takes place within a porous medium. The liquid kerosene is preheated and completely vaporized in the first porous medium before being mixed with preheated air in the mixing chamber (i.e., a small space between two porous media). Then the combustion occurs in the second porous medium. A subcooled boiling, single global reaction combustion, and local nonthermal equilibrium between fluid and solid phases with phase change under complex radiative heat transfer are considered. The model accuracy is validated by the experimental data before parametric study—that is, equivalence ratio and firing rate are performed. Result show that a self-sustaining evaporation without atomization and matrix-stabilized flame can be achieved in the NSPB by providing the radiant output efficiency in the same range as a conventional premixed gaseous porous burner. This indicates that the NSPB is one possible technology to replace conventional spray burners for future requirements.