Calculations of swirl combustors using joint velocity scalar probability density function method

Calculations are reported for recirculating swirling reacting flows using a joint velocity-scalar probability density function (PDF) method. The PDF method offers significant advantages over conventional finite volume, Reynolds-average based methods, especially for the computation of turbulent reacting flows. The PDF calculations reported here are based on a newly developed solution algorithm for elliptic flows, and on newly developed models for turbulent frequency and velocity that are simpler than those used in previously reported PDF calculations. Calculations are performed for two different gas-turbine-like swirl combustor flows for which detailed measurements are available. The computed results are in good agreement with experimental data.