Modeling of Soot Formation in Gas Burner Using Reduced Chemical Kinetics Coupled with CFD Code

A computational study of soot formation in ethylene/air coflow jet diffusion flame at atmospheric pressure was conducted using a reduced mechanism and soot formation model. A 20-step mechanism was derived from the full mechanism using sensitivity analysis, reaction path analysis and quasi steady state (QSS) approximation. The model in premixed flame was validated and with computing savings in diffusion flame was applied by incorporating into a CFD code. Simulations were performed to explore the effect of coflow air on flame structure and soot formation. Thermal radiation was calculated by a discrete-ordinates method, and soot formation was predicted by a simple two-equation soot model. Model results are in good agreement with those from experiment data and detailed mechanism at atmospheric conditions. The soot nucleation, growth, and oxidation by OH are all enhanced by decrease in coflow air velocity. The peak soot volume fraction region appears in the lower annular region between the peak flame temperature and peak acetylene concentration locations, and the high soot oxidation rate due to the OH attack occurs in the middle annular region because of high temperature.