Abstract

Turbulent combustion systems are physically complex processes that involve many interdependent phenomena---including turbulent fluid dynamics, multi-component mass transfer, convective and radiative heat transfer, and multiphase flow---that occur over a wide range of length and time scales. Modeling and simulation studies complement experimental work by implementing and validating models and providing predictive capabilities, but current software tools are often limited by a lack of standardization and best practices, non-robust implementation, or over-specialization. Some topics in combustion CFD research, notably radiative heat transfer and soot modeling, are critically underrepresented in simulation studies as a result of software limitations. This project establishes and develops three computational tools designed for use in combustion CFD: the ODT code implements the one-dimensional turbulence (ODT) model in its most reliable form, increasing its potential for application to turbulent flow problems of interest to engineers; RadLib is a standalone library of validated radiative property models intended for application to combustion systems; and SootLib is a library of validated models for soot chemistry and particle size distribution treatments, including four moment methods and one sectional model. All three tools are open-source, cross-platform model implementations that incorporate aspects of modern software design intended to make them flexible, consistent, and easy to use and expand upon. The tools developed in this project provide researchers with convenient access to modeling tools for complex phenomena that might otherwise require significant investments of time and resources to implement individually. They also provide established frameworks on which new models can be developed and communicated, offering unparalleled potential for comparative and parametric studies of combustion processes.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

Chemical Engineering

Rights

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