Computing Research Institute

The Computing Research Institute is pleased to announce that Rebecca Owston was selected as the CRI Poster award winner from the SIAM@Purdue Student Conference 2009 Poster Session. All poster presenters did a wonderful job and we appreciate all of the hard work that went into preparing/presenting for this event.

The title: Modeling of Forced Ignition and Combustion in Stratified Hydrogen Mixtures

Abstract:
In hydrogen direct-injection spark-ignition (DISI) engines the spatial and temporal ignition event is fixed by the spark plug placement and timing. In order to provide stable combustion the fuel-air mixture at the spark location has to be controlled in order to prevent misfire. Two-dimensional direct numerical simulations of a forced-ignition event in an initially quiescent mixing layer of hydrogen and air have been carried out at atmospheric pressure using detailed chemistry and mixture-averaged diffusion coefficients. Overall, this study primarily investigates the effect of initial spark placement within the flammability limits of hydrogen-air. Displacement and stabilization speeds of the propagating flame fronts have been computed along isocontours of water vapor representing 10% and 25% of the downstream equilibrium concentration.

Following the period of spark energy-addition the flame kernel is observed to bifurcate into twin triple flame structures that subsequently propagate towards opposite sides of the domain along the stoichiometric line. For all cases of successful ignition, transient spark effects are observed to dissipate within 0.2 milliseconds.

Advisor: John Abraham(ME)

Please congratulate Rebecca on a job well done!