Combustion simulation
Combustion is used in many industrial processes — to maintain safety, for example, or to generate thermal energy.
A flow simulation (CFD) that models the combustion process can calculate the following:
- prediction of flame propagation
- prediction of temperatures and temperature distributions
- prediction of the velocity distribution in the combustion chamber
- prediction of heat transport with respect to radiation, convection and conduction
- prediction of NOx, SOx and CO emissions
- optimisation of the geometry to achieve better combustion
Combustion simulation — the example of a gas flare for biogas plants
For biogas plants, TRAS 120 (the German technical rules for plant safety, "Safety requirements for biogas plants") requires additional gas-consuming equipment to be available in case the primary equipment fails in an emergency. This typically includes gas flares, which burn off the excess gas under controlled conditions in an emergency.
Gas flares come in different designs:
- with an open flame,
- with an enclosed flame, or
- with an enclosed flame and muffle
These different designs result in different safety distances to other parts of the plant and to areas where people are present.
The limit value for thermal radiation to other plant components is 5 kW/m², and 1.6 kW/m² for areas where people are present.
In this particular case, analyses were carried out for different types of gas flare (diameter, length, insulated, uninsulated, and throughput). The required distance to areas where people are present was determined in accordance with TRAS and presented visually.
The simulations enable our client to define and optimise the flare type and its location at an early stage for every new biogas plant they quote for.
Gas flare with an open flame, showing thermal radiation in the occupied area
Gas flare with an enclosed flame, showing thermal radiation in the occupied area
Reproduced by kind permission of 
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