Computational Simulation of Entropy Generation in a Combustion Chamber Using a Single Burner

Area of Science:

• * Combustion science
• * Chemical engineering
• * Computational fluid dynamics

Background:

• * Understanding propane diffusion flames is crucial for energy applications.
• * Factors like oxygen concentration and equivalence ratio significantly influence flame characteristics.
• * Entropy generation and Bejan number are key indicators of thermodynamic irreversibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To computationally investigate propane diffusion flame behavior in a burner.
• * To analyze the impact of flow parameters, oxygen percentage, and equivalence ratio on flame properties.
• * To evaluate the effect of hydrogen addition on propane flames.

Main Methods:

• * Employed the Fluent software package for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.
• * Analyzed entropy generation, temperature gradients, and Bejan number.
• * Varied flow parameters, oxygen concentration, and equivalence ratio (φ).

Main Results:

• * Flow parameters, oxygen percentage, and equivalence ratio influence entropy generation, temperature gradients, and Bejan number.
• * Hydrogen addition to propane diffusion flames led to reduced temperatures.
• * Incorporation of hydrogen also decreased carbon monoxide emissions.

Conclusions:

• * Hydrogen addition is an effective strategy for mitigating temperature and CO emissions in propane flames.
• * CFD simulations provide valuable insights into optimizing combustion processes.
• * The study highlights the interplay between fuel composition and flame thermodynamics.