Tutorial: Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using

the Zimont Model

Introduction
The purpose of this tutorial is to provide guidelines and recommendations for setting up
and solving a premixed gaseous mixture using the premixed combustion (Zimont) model.
Both, adiabatic and non-adiabatic premixed combustion models will be used.
This tutorial demonstrates how to do the following:
Use premixed combustion (Zimont) model.
Use the adiabatic and non-adiabatic premixed combustion models.
Set up and solve the case with appropriate solver settings.
Postprocess the resulting data.

Prerequisites
This tutorial is written with the assumption that you have completed Tutorial 1 from the
ANSYS FLUENT 13.0 Tutorial Guide, and that you are familiar with the ANSYS FLUENT
navigation pane and menu structure. Some steps in the setup and solution procedure will
not be shown explicitly.
In this tutorial, you will use the premixed combustion model. This tutorial does not cover
the mechanics of using this model. Instead, it focuses on the application of this model
to solve the problem. For more information refer to Chapter 18. Modeling Premixed
Combustion in the ANSYS FLUENT 13.0 Users Guide.

Problem Description
The conical combustor considered is shown in Figure 1. A small nozzle at the center of
the combustor introduces the lean methane/air mixture (equivalence ratio = 0.6) at 60 m/s
and 650 K. The high speed flow reverses direction in the combustor and exits through the
co-axial outlet.

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

Figure 1: Problem Schematic

The chemical reaction for an equivalence ratio of 0.6 is:

CH4 + 3.33(O2 + 3.76N2 ) = CO2 + 2H2 O + 1.33O2 + 12.53N2
Some related parameters are as follows:
Table 1: Premixed Mixture Properties
Parameter
Mass of air (for equivalence ratio 0.6)
Mass of 1 mole of fuel
Mass fraction of fuel
Heat of combustion (j/kg)
Adiabatic Temperature (K)
Critical Strain Rate (1/s)
Laminar Flame Speed (m/s)

Value
2 (32 + 3.76 28)/0.6 = 457.6
16
0.0338
3.84e+07
1950
5000
0.35

Preparation
1. Copy the files, conreac.msh to your working folder.
2. Use FLUENT Launcher to start the (2D) version of ANSYS FLUENT.
For more information about FLUENT Launcher see Section 1.1.2, Starting ANSYS FLUENT Using FLUENT Launcher in the ANSYS FLUENT 13.0 Users Guide.
Note: The Display Options are enabled by default. Therefore, after you read in the
mesh, it will be displayed in the embedded graphics window.

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

Setup and Solution

Step 1: Mesh
1. Read the mesh file (conreac.msh).
File Read Mesh...
Step 2: General Settings
1. Define the solver settings.
General

(a) Select Axisymmetric in the 2D Space list.

2. Check the mesh.
General Check
ANSYS FLUENT will perform various checks on the mesh and will report the progress
in the console. Make sure the minimum volume reported is a positive number.
3. Examine the mesh.

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

Figure 2: Mesh Display

Step 3: Models
Models
1. Define the viscous model.
Models

Viscous Edit...

(a) Select the Standard k-epsilon (2 eqn) turbulence model.

(b) Click OK to close the Viscous Model dialog box.
2. Define the species model.
Models

Species Edit...

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

(a) Select Premixed Combustion in the Model list.

(b) Retain the default selection of Adiabatic in the Premixed Combustion Model Options list.
(c) Enter 0.637 for Turbulent Flame Speed Constant.
(d) Click OK to close the Species Model dialog box.
An Information dialog box will appear, reminding you to confirm the property values
that have been extracted from the database.

3. Click OK in the Information dialog box to continue.

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

Step 4: Materials
Create a new fluid material called premixed-mixture.
Materials

Fluid Create/Edit...

1. Enter premixed-mixture for Name

2. Enter the values as shown in the Table 2.
Table 2: Premixed Mixture Material
Parameter
Density (kg/m3 )
Adiabatic Unburnt Density (kg/m3 )
Adiabatic Unburnt Temperature (K)
Adiabatic Burnt Temperature (K)
Laminar Flame Speed (m/s)
Critical Rate of Strain (1/s)

Value
premixed-combustion
1.2
650
1950
0.35
5000

For the adiabatic model, the temperature is calculated from the temperature of the
unburnt mixture and the adiabatic temperature of the burnt products. For more in6

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formation, refer to the Section 9.6.1.1, Adiabatic Temperature Calculation in ANSYS

FLUENT 13.0 Theroy Guide.
3. Click Change/Create and close the Create/Edit Materials dialog box.
When you click Change/Create, a Question dialog box will appear, asking you if air
should be overwritten. Click No to retain air and add the new material, premixedmixture, to the list. The Create/Edit Materials dialog box will be updated to show the
new material name in the FLUENT Fluid Materials list.
Step 5: Cell Zone Conditions
Set the boundary conditions for fluid-6.
Cell Zone Conditions

fluid-6 Edit...

1. Select premixed-mixture from the Material Name drop-down list.

2. Click OK to close the Fluid dialog box.
Step 6: Boundary Conditions
1. Set the boundary conditions for velocity-inlet-5.
Boundary Conditions

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velocity-inlet-5 Edit...

Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

(a) Enter 60 m/s for Velocity Magnitude.

(b) Select Intensity and Length Scale from the Specification Method drop-down list.
(c) Enter 0.003 m for Turbulence Length Scale.
(d) Click OK to close the Velocity Inlet dialog box.
2. Set the boundary conditions for pressure-outlet-4.
Boundary Conditions

pressure-outlet-4 Edit...

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

(a) Select Intensity and Length Scale from the Specification Method drop-down list.
(b) Enter 0.003 m for Backflow Turbulence Length Scale.
(c) Click the Species tab and enter 1 for Backflow Progress Variable.
(d) Click OK to close the Pressure Outlet dialog box.
3. Retain the default adiabatic boundary conditions for wall-1.
Step 7: Solution
1. Solve for flow and turbulence equations.
Solution Controls Equations...

(a) De-select Premixed Combustion from the Equations list

(b) Ensure that Flow and Turbulence are selected.
(c) Click OK to close the Equations dialog box.
2. Initialize the solution.
Solution Initialization
(a) Select all-zones from the Compute from drop-down list.
(b) Click Initialize.
3. Save the case file (zimont.cas.gz).
File Write Case...
4. Start the calculation by requesting 250 iterations.
Run Calculation Calculate
The solution will converge in approximately 145 iterations.
5. Save the case and data files (zimont.cas/dat.gz).
File Write Case & Data...

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

6. Solve using all the equations.

Solution Controls Equations...
(a) Select Premixed Combustion from the Equations drop-down list.
(b) Click OK to close the Equations dialog box.
7. Patch progress variable.
Solution Initialization Patch

(a) Select Progress Variable from the list of Variable.

(b) Enter 1 for Value.
(c) Select fluid-6 from Zones to Patch.
(d) Click Patch and close the Patch dialog box.
8. Request an additional 200 iterations or perform iterations until the solution converges
(Figure 3).
Run Calculation Calculate
Note: In the first iteration you will notice that the solution is converged. However it
is not converged at this stage. Click Calculate again. Solution will converge in
approximately 80 additional iterations.
9. Save the case and data files, (zimont-ad.cas/dat.gz.
File Write Case & Data...

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Figure 3: Scaled Residuals

Step 8: Postprocessing
1. Display the velocity vectors in the domain (Figure 4).
Graphics and Animations

Vectors Setup

(a) Sensure that Velocity is selected from the Vectors of drop-down list.
(b) Enter 10 for Scale and click Display.
(c) Close the Vectors dialog box.

Figure 4: Velocity Vectors

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

2. Display contours of stream function (Figure 5).

Graphics and Animations

Contours Set Up...

(a) Select Velocity... and Stream Function from the Contours of drop-down lists and
click Display.

Figure 5: Contours of Stream Function

3. Display filled contours of mean progress variable (Figure 6).

(a) Enable Filled.
(b) Select Premixed Combustion... and Progress Variable from the Contours of dropdown lists and click Display.

Figure 6: Contours of Mean Progress Variable

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

4. Display filled contours of static temperature (Figure 7).

(a) Select Premixed Combustion... and Static Temperature from the Contours of dropdown lists and click Display.

Figure 7: Contours of Static Temperature

Step 9: Setup for Non-Adiabatic Premixed Combustion

1. Change the premixed combustion species model to Non-Adiabatic.
Models

Species Edit...

(a) Select Non-Adiabatic from Premixed Combustion Model Options group box.
(b) Close the Species Model dialog box.
An information dialog box will open reminding you to confirm the property valuesthat
have been extracted from the database. Click OK.
2. Modify the following properties for the premixed-mixture material:
Materials

premixed-mixture Create/Edit...

Parameter
Heat of Combustion
Unburnt Fuel Mass Fraction

Value
3.85e+07
0.0338

For the non-adiabatic model, ANSYS FLUENT will solve an energy transport equation
to account for heat losses or gains within the system. The temperature is calculated

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

from the heat of combustion and the fuel mass fraction. For more information, refer
to the Section 9.6.1.2, Non-Adiabatic Temperature Calculation in ANSYS FLUENT 13.0
Theroy Guide.
3. Enter 650 K for Temperature in the Thermal tab for velocity-inlet-5.
Boundary Conditions

velocity-inlet-5 Edit...

Step 10: Solution (Non-Adiabatic Premixed Combustion)

1. Solve for flow and turbulence equations.
(a) Select PRESTO! from the Pressure drop-down list in the Spatial Discretization
group box.
Solution Methods
(b) Select Flow and Turbulence from the Equations selection list.
Solution Controls Equations...
2. Initialize the flow field and compute from all-zones.
Solution Initialization
3. Start the calculation by requesting 250 iterations.
Run Calculation Calculate
Solution will converge in approximately 135 iterations.
4. Solve using all the equations.
Solution Controls Equations...
(a) Select all the equations from the Equations selection list.
(b) Click OK to close the Equations dialog box.
5. Patch the progress variable to 1.
Solution Initialization Patch...
6. Request another 150 iterations or perform iterations until the solution is converged
(Figure 8).
Run Calculation Calculate
The solution will converge in approximately 120 additional iterations.
7. Save the case and data files, (zimont-nonad.cas/dat.gz).

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Figure 8: Scaled Residuals

Step 11: Postprocessing (Non-Adiabatic Premixed Combustion)

1. Display the velocity vectors in the domain with a scale factor of 10 (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Velocity Vectors

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Premixed Combustion in a Conical Chamber Using the Zimont Model

2. Display filled of stream function (Figure 10) with Filled from Options group box disabled.

Figure 10: Contours of Stream Function

3. Display filled contours of mean progress variable (Figure 11).

Figure 11: Contours of Mean Progress Variable

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4. Display filled contours of static temperature (Figure 12).

Display contours of static temperature by selecting Temperature... and Static Temperature from the Contours of drop-down lists.

Figure 12: Contours of Static Temperature

Results
Postprocessing results can be used to study the application of the premixed combustion
model in ANSYS FLUENT.

Summary
Application of premixed combustion model (Zimont model) in a premixed gaseous mixture
case has been demonstrated in this tutorial.

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