Performance of FGM in Bluff-Body Stabilized H2-CO Diffusion Flame

Blends of H₂ with CH₄ and/or CO have become of interest with hydrogen as sustainable fuel. In the past, numerical models were derived to simulate combustion of H₂-CO (syngas) mixtures. This paper compares the performance of a newly implemented Flamelet Generated Manifold (FGM) combustion model to an earlier model by Correa and Pope and experimental data in the bluff-body stabilized syngas flame by Correa and Gulati. The FGM in the presented model consists of premixed flamelets stretching the flammable region, parametrized by mixture fraction and Computational Singular Perturbation-based reaction progress variable. RANS simulations are performed in Fluent with k−ε, k−ω SST and Reynolds Stress Model turbulence modelling. Radial and axial profile plots of temperature and major species concentrations showed generally improved results with the FGM model, although locally deviations occur. Causes for these deviations are scrutinized: the use of premixed opposed to diffusion flamelets and the unity Lewis number assumption.