Modeling and simulation of two-phase turbulent combustion in aeroengine combustors
MO Yi1, CHEN Fan1, XU Xiaoyan1, JIAO Zhe1, WEI Gang1, LIN Hongjun2, XIAO Wei3, WANG Fang4, REN Zhuyin5
1. Aero Engine Academy of China, Beijing 101399, China; 2. Aero Engine Corporation of China Shenyang Engine Research Institute, Shenyang 110066, China; 3. Aero Engine Corporation of China Hunan Aviation Powerplant Research Institute, Zhuzhou 412002, China; 4. School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 102206, China; 5. Institute for Aero Engine, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Abstract：[Objective] As the energy-producing component of aeroengines, the combustor is the core area of fuel atomization, oil and gas mixing, and chemical reaction. Its design directly affects the overall performance of the engine. The structure of an aeroengine combustor is complex, allowing for a series of complicated physical and chemical processes. [Methods] The application of numerical simulation is of great significance in shortening the development cycle of the combustor while reducing test experiments and risks in design. In this paper, we conduct a bottom-up study on framework design, model integration, software development, test validation, and engineering application of the self-developed software platform. First, we design a hierarchical simulation software by analyzing the common numerical algorithm of an individual physical model and optimizing the secondary development interface of the model code. The software framework can be divided into three levels from bottom to top: unstructured grid high-performance parallel programming framework, particle-fluid computing layer, and advanced physical models and methods. The software framework has a reasonable data structure and highly scalable function interface, which guarantees the independence and high maintainability of each model and supports the R&D team in realizing the efficient integration of different types of physical models. Second, for the complex two-phase turbulent combustion process in the combustor, ten physical models suitable for simulating engine combustors, such as fuel atomization, wall oil film, evaporation, and turbulent combustion models, are integrated. Four hierarchical test cases of three-stage swirl, gas-phase swirl, simple cylinder and model combustor configurations are constructed, and the coupling consistency of multiple models is studied and improved. Based on the work related to the framework, model, and validation, a parallel adaptive unstructured grid combustor two-phase turbulent combustion numerical simulation software (CBTLES), which can run efficiently on modern mainstream high-performance computers, was developed. Finally, to test the engineering applicability of CBTLES, two-phase turbulent combustion simulation in the annular main combustor and afterburner of a large turbofan engine are conducted. [Results] The simulation results showed that: 1) thousand-core parallel efficiency reached 104.50%, while the ten thousand-core parallel efficiency reached 70.92%, indicating that CBTLES has good parallel scalability for hundreds of millions of grid-scale annular combustor cases. 2) Qualitative simulation results of unsteady two-phase turbulent combustion were consistent with physical phenomena, indicating that CBTLES has engineering coupling simulation ability with a typical two-phase physical model. 3) With typical working conditions, the quantitative errors of the total pressure recovery coefficient and outlet temperature distribution coefficient of the main combustor were 1.2% and 9.7%, respectively, while the errors of the total pressure recovery coefficient and average outlet temperature of the afterburner were 5.6% and 0.9%, respectively, revealing that CBTLES has acceptable engineering simulation accuracy. Generally, CBTLES realizes a breakthrough from 0 to 1 through framework design, model integration, software development, test verification, and engineering application in this paper. [Conclusions] The engineering simulation results of a typical annular main combustor and afterburner show that the simulation efficiency, function, and accuracy of CBTLES meet practical engineering requirements. Simultaneously, it also reveals that physical models integrated into CBTLES realize the key transformation from basic theory to engineering applications.
[1] 尚守堂,林宏军,程明,等.航空发动机燃烧室数值仿真技术工程应用分析[J].航空动力, 2021(2):66-69. SHANG S T, LIN H J, CHENG M, et al. Engineering applications of numerical simulation technology for aero engine combustor[J]. Aerospace Power, 2021(2):66-69.(in Chinese) [2] 李苏辉,张归华,吴玉新.面向未来燃气轮机的先进燃烧技术综述[J].清华大学学报(自然科学版), 2021, 61(12):1423-1437. LI S H, ZHANG G H, WU Y X. Advanced combustion technologies for future gas turbines[J]. Journal of Tsinghua University (Science and Technology), 2021, 61(12):1423-1437.(in Chinese) [3] LIU Q K, ZHAO W B, CHENG J, et al. A programming framework for large scale numerical simulations on unstructured mesh[C]//2016 IEEE 2nd International Conference on Big Data Security on Cloud, IEEE International Conference on High Performance and Smart Computing, and IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Data and Security. New York, USA:IEEE, 2016:310-315. [4] MO Z Y, ZHANG A Q, CAO X L, et al. JASMIN:A parallel software infrastructure for scientific computing[J]. Frontiers of Computer Science in China, 2010, 4(4):480-488. [5] 许开龙,刘再刚,姜胜利,等.指定流量分配系数的多回流出口边界算法研究[J/OL].航空学报.(2022-02-17)[2023-01-04]. DIO:10.7527/S1000-6893.2022.26830. XU K L, LIU Z G, JIANG S L, et al. Treatment of boundary condition at multiple outlets with recirculating flow and specified flow ratios[J/OL]. Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica.(2022-02-17)[2023-01-04]. DIO:10.7527/S1000-6893.2022.26830.(in Chinese) [6] XIAO F. Large eddy simulation of liquid jet primary breakup[D]. Leicestershire:Loughborough University, 2012. [7] SCHMIDT D P, NOUAR I, SENECAL P K, et al. Pressure-swirl atomization in the near field[J]. Sae Transactions, 1999, 108(3):471-484. [8] SENECAL P K, SCHMIDT D P, NOUAR I, et al. Modeling high-speed viscous liquid sheet atomization[J]. International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 1999, 25(6-7):1073-1097. [9] PATTERSON M A, REITZ R D. Modeling the effects of fuel spray characteristics on diesel engine combustion and emission[J]. Sae Transactions, 1998, 107(3):27-43. [10] REITZ R D. Modeling atomization processes in high-pressure vaporizing sprays[J]. Atomisation and Spray Technology, 1987, 3(4):309-337. [11] REITZ R D, DIWAKAR R. Structure of high-pressure fuel sprays[J]. Sae Transactions, 1987, 96(5):492-509. [12] JIANG X, SIAMAS G A, JAGUS K, et al. Physical modelling and advanced simulations of gas-liquid two-phase jet flows in atomization and sprays[J]. Progress in Energy&Combustion Science, 2010, 36(2):131-167. [13] KUO K K. Recent advances in spray combustion:Spray atomization and drop burning phenomena[M]. Reston, VA:American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1996. [14] LEFEBVRE A H, MCDONELL V G. Atomization and sprays[M]. 2nd ed. Boca Raton:CRC Press, 2017. [15] ALDERLIESTEN M. Mean particle diameters. part Ⅶ. the rosin-rammler size distribution:Physical and mathematical properties and relationships to moment-ratio defined mean particle diameters[J]. Particle&Particle Systems Characterization, 2013, 30(3):244-257. [16] ASGARI B, AMANI E, An improved spray-wall interaction model for Eulerian-Lagrangian simulation of liquid sprays. International Journal of Multiphase Flow[J]. 2021, 134:103487. [17] ZHANG Y Z, JIA M, DUAN H Q, et al. Numerical and experimental study of spray impingement and liquid film separation during the spray/wall interaction at expanding corners[J]. International Journal of Multiphase Flow, 2018, 107:67-81. [18] WANG F, LIU R, LI M, et al. Kerosene evaporation rate in high temperature air stationary and convective environment[J]. Fuel, 2018, 211:582-590. [19] FRÖHLICH J, VON TERZI D. Hybrid LES/RANS methods for the simulation of turbulent flows[J]. Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 2008, 44(5):349-377. [20] SPALART P R. Strategies for turbulence modelling and simulations[J]. International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 2000, 21(3):252-263. [21] SPALART P R, DECK S, SHUR M L, et al. A new version of detached-eddy simulation, resistant to ambiguous grid densities[J]. Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics, 2006, 20(3):181-195. [22] 杨斌,刘仲铠,林柯利,等.面向碳中和与先进动力的燃烧反应动力学研究方法进展[J].清华大学学报(自然科学版), 2022, 62(4):663-677. YANG B, LIU Z K, LIN K L, et al. Towards carbon neutrality and advanced engines:Progress in combustion kinetics research methods[J]. Journal of Tsinghua University (Science and Technology), 2022, 62(4):663-677.(in Chinese) [23] O'ROURKE P J, BRACCO F V. Two scaling transformations for the numerical computation of multidimensional unsteady laminar flames[J]. Journal of Computational Physics, 1979, 33(2):185-203. [24] ZIMONT VPOLIFKE W, BETTELINI M, et al. An efficient computational model for premixed turbulent combustion at high Reynolds numbers based on a turbulent flame speed closure[J]. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 1998, 120(3):526-532. [25] JONES W P, NAVARRO-MARTINEZ S. Large eddy simulation of autoignition with a subgrid probability density function method[J]. Combustion&Flame, 2007, 150(3):170-187. [26] MURADOGLU M, POPE S B, CAUGHEY D A. The hybrid method for the PDF equations of turbulent reactive flows:Consistency conditions and correction algorithms[J]. Journal of Computational Physics, 2002, 178(1):260. [27] MUSTATA R, VALIÑO L, JIMÉNEZ C, et al. A probability density function eulerian Monte Carlo field method for large eddy simulations:Application to a turbulent piloted methane/air diffusion flame (Sandia D)[J]. Combustion and Flame, 2006, 145(1-2):88-104. [28] 王方,窦力,魏观溢,等.基于PDF-LES模型的凹腔支板火焰稳定器模拟[J].工程热物理学报, 2021, 42(3):758-767. WANG F, DOU L, WEI G Y, et al. The simulation of cavity flameholder by PDF-LES method[J]. Journal of Engineering Thermophysics, 2021, 42(3):758-767.(in Chinese) [29] HAWORTH D C. Progress in probability density function methods for turbulent reacting flows[J]. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 2010, 36(2):168-259. [30] POPE S B. PDF methods for turbulent reactive flows[J]. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 1985, 11(2):119-192. [31] SUBRAMANIAM S, POPE S B. A mixing model for turbulent reactive flows based on euclidean minimum spanning trees[J]. Combustion and Flame, 1998, 115(4):487-514. [32] VILLERMAUX J, DEVILLON J C. Représentation de la coalescence et de la redispersion des domaines de ségrégation dans un fluide par un modèle d'interaction phénoménologique[C]//Proceedings of the Second International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering. Frisco, USA:Elsevier, 1972:1-13. [33] YANG T W, YIN Y, ZHOU H, et al. Consistent submodel coupling in hybrid particle/finite volume algorithms for zone-adaptive modelling of turbulent reactive flows[J]. Combustion Theory and Modelling, 2022, 26(7):1159-1184. [34] YANG T W, ZHOU H, YIN Y, et al. Zone-adaptive modeling of turbulent flames with multiple chemical mechanisms[J/OL]. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute.(2022-09-12)[2023-01-04]. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proci.2022.09.034. [35] MEIER U, HEINZE J, FREITAG S, et al. Spray and flame structure of a generic injector at aeroengine conditions[J]. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 2012, 134(3):031503.
2023, Vol. 63 
