Numerical Simulation of Wall Treatment Effects on the Micro-Scale Combustion
To understand working features of a micro combustor,
a computer code has been developed to study combustion of
hydrogen–air mixture in a series of chambers with same shape aspect
ratio but various dimensions from millimeter to micrometer level.
The prepared algorithm and the computer code are capable of
modeling mixture effects in different fluid flows including chemical
reactions, viscous and mass diffusion effects. The effect of various
heat transfer conditions at chamber wall, e.g. adiabatic wall, with
heat loss and heat conduction within the wall, on the combustion is
analyzed. These thermal conditions have strong effects on the
combustion especially when the chamber dimension goes smaller and
the ratio of surface area to volume becomes larger.
Both factors, such as larger heat loss through the chamber wall
and smaller chamber dimension size, may lead to the thermal
quenching of micro-scale combustion. Through such systematic
numerical analysis, a proper operation space for the micro-combustor
is suggested, which may be used as the guideline for microcombustor
design. In addition, the results reported in this paper
illustrate that the numerical simulation can be one of the most
powerful and beneficial tools for the micro-combustor design,
optimization and performance analysis.
[1] Carlos Fernandez-Pello, A., 2002. Micro-power generation using
combustion: issues and approaches. Twenty-Ninth International
Symposium on Combustion, Sapporo, Japan, the Combustion Institute
[2] Ono, S., Wakuri, Y., 1977. An experimental study on the quenching of
flame by narrow cylindrical passage. Bulletin of JSME 20 (147)
[3] Glassman, I., 1996. Combustion. Academic Press, California.
[4] Lee, D.H., Kwon, S., 2002. Heat transfer and quenching analysis of
combustion in a micro combustion vessel. Journal of Micromechanics
and Micro engineering 12, 670-676.
[5] Norton, D.G., Vlachos, D.G., 2003. Combustion characteristics and
flame stability at the micro-scale: a CFD study of premixed methane/air
mixtures. Chemical Engineering Science 58, 4871-4882.
[6] Norton, D.G., Vlachos, D.G., 2004. A CFD study for propane/air microflame
stability. Combust. Flame 138, 97-107.
[7] Choi , K.H., Na, H.B., Lee, D.H., Kwon, S., 2004. Numerical simulation
of flame propagation near extinction condition in a micro-combustor.
Micro-scale Thermophysical Engineering 8, 71-89.
[8] Spadaccini, C.M., Mehra, A., Lee, J., Zhang, X., Lukachko, S.,Waitz,
A.I., 2003. High power density silicon combustion system for micro gas
turbine engines. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power
125, 709-719.
[9] Ronney, P.D., 2003. Analysis of non-adiabatic heat-recirculating
combustors. Combust. Flame 135 (4), 421.
[1] Carlos Fernandez-Pello, A., 2002. Micro-power generation using
combustion: issues and approaches. Twenty-Ninth International
Symposium on Combustion, Sapporo, Japan, the Combustion Institute
[2] Ono, S., Wakuri, Y., 1977. An experimental study on the quenching of
flame by narrow cylindrical passage. Bulletin of JSME 20 (147)
[3] Glassman, I., 1996. Combustion. Academic Press, California.
[4] Lee, D.H., Kwon, S., 2002. Heat transfer and quenching analysis of
combustion in a micro combustion vessel. Journal of Micromechanics
and Micro engineering 12, 670-676.
[5] Norton, D.G., Vlachos, D.G., 2003. Combustion characteristics and
flame stability at the micro-scale: a CFD study of premixed methane/air
mixtures. Chemical Engineering Science 58, 4871-4882.
[6] Norton, D.G., Vlachos, D.G., 2004. A CFD study for propane/air microflame
stability. Combust. Flame 138, 97-107.
[7] Choi , K.H., Na, H.B., Lee, D.H., Kwon, S., 2004. Numerical simulation
of flame propagation near extinction condition in a micro-combustor.
Micro-scale Thermophysical Engineering 8, 71-89.
[8] Spadaccini, C.M., Mehra, A., Lee, J., Zhang, X., Lukachko, S.,Waitz,
A.I., 2003. High power density silicon combustion system for micro gas
turbine engines. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power
125, 709-719.
[9] Ronney, P.D., 2003. Analysis of non-adiabatic heat-recirculating
combustors. Combust. Flame 135 (4), 421.
@article{"International Journal of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Sciences:61217", author = "R. Kamali and A. R. Binesh and S. Hossainpour", title = "Numerical Simulation of Wall Treatment Effects on the Micro-Scale Combustion", abstract = "To understand working features of a micro combustor,
a computer code has been developed to study combustion of
hydrogen–air mixture in a series of chambers with same shape aspect
ratio but various dimensions from millimeter to micrometer level.
The prepared algorithm and the computer code are capable of
modeling mixture effects in different fluid flows including chemical
reactions, viscous and mass diffusion effects. The effect of various
heat transfer conditions at chamber wall, e.g. adiabatic wall, with
heat loss and heat conduction within the wall, on the combustion is
analyzed. These thermal conditions have strong effects on the
combustion especially when the chamber dimension goes smaller and
the ratio of surface area to volume becomes larger.
Both factors, such as larger heat loss through the chamber wall
and smaller chamber dimension size, may lead to the thermal
quenching of micro-scale combustion. Through such systematic
numerical analysis, a proper operation space for the micro-combustor
is suggested, which may be used as the guideline for microcombustor
design. In addition, the results reported in this paper
illustrate that the numerical simulation can be one of the most
powerful and beneficial tools for the micro-combustor design,
optimization and performance analysis.", keywords = "Numerical simulation, Micro-combustion, MEMS,
CFD, Chemical reaction.", volume = "1", number = "11", pages = "671-8", }