Reproducing curvature effects due to differential diffusion in tabulated chemistry for premixed flames

Tabulated chemistry reduces the cost of modeling reacting flows by transporting fewer scalars. It also has the benefit of introducing fewer terms that must be closed for Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes and large eddy simulation modeling. In this study of premixed lean hydrogen–air flames, an extension to an existing tabulated chemistry model was developed by including differential diffusion and thermal diffusion of multiple species, using a mixture-averaged diffusion model. The transport equations for the tabulation variables (a progress variable and a mixture fraction-like variable) have been formulated, and curvature effects are intrinsic to the transport equations derived from first principles. The mathematical derivation is general, such that other fuel/air mixtures could be examined. The new tabulated chemistry model was then validated using a range of configurations, including flames with curvature, extinction, and hot spots. The model validation indicated excellent agreement with detailed chemistry simulations for lean premixed hydrogen–air mixtures. Conditional means of the progress variable source term were shown to agree well with detailed chemistry simulations of two-dimensional freely propagating flames and three-dimensional turbulent flames. Finally, progress variable source terms three times higher than one-dimensional flat flame results were identified and validated with detailed chemistry, and super-adiabatic hot spots were also predicted in the turbulent flame configuration