Numerical analysis of extremely-rich CH₄/O₂/H₂O premixed flames at high pressure and high temperature considering production of higher hydrocarbons

Numerical analysis of CH₄/O₂/H₂O laminar premixed flame under various conditions of pressure, equivalence ratio and steam concentration was performed using GRI-Mech 3.0 and the mechanism proposed by Davis and Law, which consists of C1 to C6 hydrocarbons in addition to GRI-Mech 3.0. The pressure dependence of laminar burning velocity and flame structure under fuel-rich conditions was focused on. Effects of the formation of higher hydrocarbons under fuel-rich conditions were also clarified using the mechanism proposed by Davis and Law. Results showed that for extremely fuel-rich conditions, laminar burning velocity increases as pressure increases for both mechanisms. The increase of laminar burning velocity is caused by the shift of the oxidation pathway of CH3 radical from the C2 Route to the C1 Route. The formation of C3-C6 hydrocarbons has only a small effect on laminar burning velocity. Under fuel-rich conditions, super-adiabatic flame temperature (SAFT) occurs and its pressure dependency was clarified.