Numerical Simulation of Supersonic Combustion with Parallel Injection of Hydrogen Fuel

Thermochemical exploration of mixing and combustion of parallel hydrogen injection into supersonic vitiated air stream in a divergent duct is presented. Three-dimensional Navier Stokes equations along with twoequation turbulence models and Eddy dissipation concept (EDC)-based combustion models are solved using commercial CFD software. Chemical reaction for H2-air system is modelled by two different simple chemical kinetic schemes namely; infinitely fast rate kinetics as well as the single-step finite rate kinetics. Grid convergence of the solution is demonstrated and a grid convergence index-based error estimate has been provided. Insight into the mixing and combustion of high-speed turbulent reacting flow is obtained through the analysis of various thermochemical variables. Very good comparisons are obtained for the exit profiles for various fluid dynamical and chemical variables for the mixing case. For reacting case, the comparison between the experimental and the numerical values are reasonable. Parametric studies were carried out to study the effect of different turbulence models and turbulent Schmidt numbers. It is seen that Wilcox k-w turbulence model performed better than the other two-equation turbulence models in its class. Strong dependence of flow behaviour on turbulent Schmidt number was observed. The results indicate that simple chemical kinetics is adequate to describe the H2-air reaction in the scramjet combustor.Defence Science Journal, 2010, 60(5), pp.465-475, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.60.5