International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882

Volume 4, Issue 3, March 2015

Computational Evaluation of Emissions for Non-premixed Natural gas

Combustion
Manish kale1, Rohit choudhary2
1

Department of Mechanical Engineering, B.I.T.S College Bhopal

Department of Mechanical Engineering, B.I.T.S College Bhopal

ABSTRACT
Computational fluid dynamics is a widely used tool in
optimizing a natural gas burners, for instance, emission
issues. Especially a further reduction of NOx emissions
is a main interest. However, with computational efforts
calculating three-dimensional turbulent flames, there is
necessity of simplified models in order to simulate the
combustion reactions and the NOx formation. Hitherto,
models describing thermal NO and prompt formation of
NO, respectively, were applied in a post-processing step.
It is found that fast chemistry approaches are unable to
predict the temperature field. It is found that the spectral
model play a fundamental role for the correct analysis
of such scale devices. Here we will study the combustion
of natural gas and detect the NOX formation like mass
fraction of NO, NO2 and NH3.

1.4 Reynolds stress model (RSM) This approach

attempts to actually solve transport equations for the
Reynolds stresses. This means the introduction of
several transport equations for all the Reynolds stresses
and hence this approach is much more costly in CPU
effort.
1.5 Large eddy simulation (LES) is a technique in
which the smallest scales of the flow are removed
through a filtering operation, and subgrid-scale modeling
using models through their effects. This allows the
largest and important scales of the turbulence to be
resolved, while greatly reduces the computational cost
incurred by very small scales. This method needs greater
computational resources than RANS methods, but is
very cheaper than DNS.

Keywords - CFD, FVM, LES, RSM etc.

I.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Computational fluid dynamics, generally

abbreviated as CFD, It is a branch of fluid mechanics
which uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve
and analyze problems that includes fluid flows.
Computer simulation are used to perform the
calculations required for interaction of liquids and gases
with surfaces defined by boundary conditions.
1.2 The finite volume method (FVM) is a common
approach used in CFD codes, as it has an advantage in
memory usage and solution speed, especially for large
problems, high Reynolds number turbulent flows, and
source term dominated flows (like combustion).
1.3 Turbulence models can be classified based on
computational cost, that corresponds to the range of
scales that are modeled versus, resolved (the more
turbulent scales that are resolved, finer the resolution of
the simulation, the higher the computational cost). If
majority or all of the turbulent scales are modeled, the
computational cost is very less, but the tradeoff comes in
a form of decreased accuracy.

1.6 Detached eddy simulations (DES) are a

modification of a RANS model in which the model
switches to a subgrid scale formulation in regions fine
enough for LES calculations. Near solid boundary
regions where the turbulent length scale is less than the
maximum grid dimension are assigned the RANS mode
solution. As the turbulent length scale exceeds the grid
dimension, these regions are solved with the help of LES
mode.
1.7 K-epsilon turbulence model
K-epsilon (k-) turbulence model is the most common
model used in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to
simulate turbulent conditions. It is a two equation model
which gives a general description of turbulence by
means of two transport equations (PDEs). The original
impetus for the K-epsilon model was to improve the
mixing-length model, as well to find an alternative to
algebraically prescribing turbulent length scales in
moderate to high complexity flows. The first transported
variable determines the energy in the turbulence and is
called turbulent kinetic energy (k). The second
transported variable is the turbulent dissipation ( )
which determines the rate of dissipation of the turbulent
kinetic energy.

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International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882
Volume 4, Issue 3, March 2015

II.

COMBUSTION

Combustion is the sequence of exothermic chemical

reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by
the production of heat and conversion of chemical
species. The heat release can produce light in the form of
either glowing or a flame.
In a complete combustion reaction process, an oxidizing
element reacts with a compound, such as fluorine or
oxygen, and the products are compounds of each
element in the fuel with the oxidizing element. example:
CH4(g) + 2O2(g) CO2(g) 2H2O(g)
The standard enthalpy of reaction for methane
combustion at 298.15 K and 1 atm is 802 kJ/mol.[2] A
simple example can be seen in the combustion of
hydrogen and oxygen, this reaction commonly used to
fuel rocket engines:
2H2(g) + O2(g) 2H2O(g)
The result is water vapor, with a standard enthalpy of
reaction at 298.15 K and 1 atm of 242 kJ/mol. A
Complete combustion is impossible to attain. As actual
combustion reactions come to equilibrium condition, a
wide variety of minor and major species will be present,
such as hydrogen carbon monoxide, and even carbon
(ash or soot). Additionally, any combustion at high
temperatures in atmospheric air, which contains 78
percent nitrogen, will creates small amounts of several
nitrogen oxides, commonly referred to NOx.
Combustion does need not always involve oxygen; e.g.,
hydrogen burns with chlorine to form hydrogen chloride
with the liberation of heat and light characteristic of
combustion.

III. CURRENT STATUS OF KNOWLEDGE

P. Gomes The fuel used in an industrial furnance either
liquid or gas is of great importance, It is having a direct
impact on the performance and the equipment working
life and also on pollutants emissions. These factors are
highly depend on the combustion process and the factors
such as flame shape heat flux distribution and
temperature within the furnace. In present work,
numerical simulations were carried out, using finite
volume method, for the purpose of analyzing and
comparing the combustion process inside an aluminum
furnace when operating with two types of fuel: a spray
of liquid oil and a jet of natural gas, both are reacting
with air. The results showed the possible damages that
may be caused by the combustion process if long,
concentrated or too intense flames are present,
increasing the heat flux and wall temperatures on the
aluminum surface.

Abdulaziz Alsairafi The effect of the fuel temperature

on NOx formation was numerically investigated. For this
purpose CFD modeling of NOx emission in an
experimental furnace equipped with high temperature air
combustion (HiTAC) system was studied. And the
comparison between the predicted results and measured
values have shown good , which signify that the adopted
combustion and NOx formation models are suitable for
predicting the characteristics of the combustion,flow,
heat transfer, and NOx emissions in the HiTAC
chamber. However the predicted results show the
increase of fuel temperature results in increasing velocity
of fluid, better fuel jet mixing with the combustion air,
smaller flame and reduces NOx emission.
L. Tognotti An integrated methodology for the
simulation of practical combustion systems and NOx
prediction is given. Which is based on 3D CFD
simulation coupled to a postprocessor which yields
reactor networks, extracted from 3D fields, as
equivalent simplified flow models for which it is
possible to use a detailed reaction kinetics. In this the
study of two glass melting furnaces is presented to
illustrate the methodology. The furnaces were
experimentally characterized, and then CFD simulations
were implemented, by giving the suitable boundary
conditions for the radioactive heat exchange and the submodel for the chemistry. Each CFD simulation, a
chemical reactor network was extracted to perform the
computation of the secondary product combustion
species by complex kinetics mechanism. An evaluation
of the models was given by comparing the
measurements with the temperature of the CFD field and
the NOx prediction. At last finally, an estimate of the
effect of some NOx reducing techniques was given.

IV. PROBLEM FORMULATION

This problem was modeled after the experiments carried
out at the Burner Engineering Research Laboratory
(BERL) as part of a large project (Scaling 400 study) for
combustors ranging in size from 30 KW to 12 MW. The
flow under study is a natural gas flame in a 300 KW
swirl-stabilized burner with a vertically fired furnace. It
has an octagonal cross-section with a conical furnace
hood and a cylindrical exhaust duct. The furnace walls
are refractory-lined or water-cooled. we will provide a
solution for a combustion problem and will apply
detailed chemistry over it. Outcome of this investigation
will established some correlations between the
computational modeling and physical combustion.

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International Journal of Scientific Research Engineering & Technology (IJSRET), ISSN 2278 0882
Volume 4, Issue 3, March 2015

V. OBJECTIVE OF STUDY
Our main aim of this study is to establish the correlation
between computational model and physical combustion
process. We are going to study for natural gas
combustion at some standard conditions and then
investigate emissions contains like CO and NOX. For
NOX emissions we will use converge model and apply
the detailed chemistry mechanism. With this
investigation we can detect the amount of emissions
which is found at exhaust and minimize the pollutant
emissions.
VI. PROPOSED METHOD

Validation of the paper

Changing the parameter in the processes of
combustion
Comparison of cases

VII. PROPOSED CONCLUSION

This computational study of emission gives the approach
to find the minimum emission condition at the desired
combination of the parameters as the best combination in
the input condition.

[5] L. Tognotti, M. Falcitelli, S. Pasini, Modeling

practical combustion systems and predicting NOx
emissions with an integrated CFD based approach
Computers & Chemical Engineering, Volume 26, Issue
9, 15 September 2002, Pages 1171-118
[6] Olivier Colin, Vincent Knop, Adlne Benkenida,
Stphane Jay, Modelling of combustion and nitrogen
oxide formation in hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion
engines within a 3D CFD code International Journal of
Hydrogen Energy, Volume 33, Issue 19, October 2008,
Pages 5083-5097
[7] Ahmed F. Ghoniem, Lei Chen, Sze Zheng Yong,
Oxy-fuel
combustion
of
pulverized
coal:
Characterization, fundamentals, stabilization and CFD
modeling Review Article Progress in Energy and
Combustion Science, Volume 38, Issue 2, April 2012,
Pages 156-214
[8] Reza Rasekhi, Majid Ghorbanpour, A parametric
investigation of HCCI combustion to reduce emissions
and improve efficiency using a CFD model approach
Fuel, 106, April 2013, 157-165
[9] R.Thundil Karuppa ,Raj R. Manimaran, CFD
Analysis of Combustion and Pollutant Formation
Phenomena in a Direct Injection Diesel Engine at
Different EGR Conditions Original Research
ArticleProcedia Engineering, 64, 2013 497-506 R.
Manimaran.

REFERENCES
[1] P. Gomes Angela O. Nieckele, Monica F. Naccache,
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International Communications in Heat and Mass
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