On the behavior of spray combustion in a turbulent spatially-evolving jet investigated by direct numerical simulation

Detailed investigations of turbulent spray combustion are very challenging due to the complexity of the underlying physicochemical processes. Experimentally, laboratory-scale burners are increasingly used to investigate these processes and support model development. One ultimate objective of these studies would be to deliver suitable benchmark data. In the present paper, the focus is similar but relying exclusively on direct numerical simulations. Conditions close that found in lab-scale burners are considered in the simulations, so that direct comparisons will ultimately become possible. The current analysis concentrates on the temporal evolution of temperature and concentrations of OH, CH₂O, and CH₄. The profiles of these variables show very complex features, therefore separate zones corresponding to characteristic physicochemical regimes have been tracked in time and space. It is found that, based on the temperature profile, four different zones coexist in the domain, associated to different degrees of competition between evaporation and reaction. It is observed that high concentrations of CH₂O and CH₄ can be used to delineate between three characteristic locations: 1) the evaporation zone; 2) close to the jet tip, at high temperatures; and 3) regions where evaporated droplets are entrained by mixing. This study demonstrates that direct numerical simulation of small spray burners can be used to deliver important information and to contribute useful benchmark data.