Numerical simulation of turbulent reacting flow in porous media using two macroscopic turbulence models

This paper presents two dimensional simulations of air/methane combustion in cylindrical porous burner using models that explicitly consider the intra-pore levels of turbulent kinetic energy. Two most used turbulence models in porous media, proposed by Pedras and de Lemos (P-dL) and Nakayama and Kuwahara (N-K), have been used in the present study. Results of two macroscopic turbulence models are presented and compared for different Reynolds numbers and several flame locations. The values of turbulent kinetic energy and eddy viscosity calculated by two models are quite different due to the difference between the terms proposed for internal generation in turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate equations. It is found that P-dL model more accurately predicts the characteristics of reacting flow in porous media such as turbulent kinetic energy and eddy viscosity. Also, it is shown that the effects of turbulence in porous media are more significant when the flame stabilizes at the downstream of burner. Due to enhancement of heat and species diffusion, the preheating of reactants increases and the flame moves closer to the burner entrance when turbulence models are applied. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.