Computing supersonic non-premixed turbulent combustion by an SMLD flamelet progress variable model

Abstract: This paper describes the numerical simulation of the NASA Langley Research Center supersonic H2 -Air combustion chamber performed using two approaches to model the presumed probability density function (PDF) in the flamelet progress variable (FPV) framework. The first one is a standard FPV model, built presuming the functional shape of the PDFs of the mixture fraction, Z, and of the progress parameter, {\Lambda}. In order to enhance the prediction capabilities of such a model in high-speed reacting flows, a second approach is proposed employing the statistically most likely distribution (SMLD) techcnique to presume the joint PDF of Z and {\Lambda}, without any assumption about their behaviour. The standard and FPV-SMLD models have been developed using the low Mach number assumption. In both cases, the temperature is evaluated by solving the total-energy conservation equation, providing a more suitable approach for the simulation of supersonic combustion. By comparison with experimental data, the proposed SMLD model is shown to provide a clear improvement with respect to the standard FPV model, especially in the auto-ignition and stabilization regions of the flame.