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Numerical simulation of microwave-enhanced low swirl methane-air flames

Nordin-Bates, K. ; Hurtig, T. ; Zettervall, N. LU ; Robertsson, R. LU ; Nilsson, E. LU orcid ; Lörstad, D. LU ; Ehn, A. LU and Fureby, C. LU (2026) In Combustion and Flame 285.
Abstract

Efficient and clean production of electrical and mechanical energy for use in industry, transportation and propulsion is currently a concern. The transition from fossil fuels to biofuels involves challenges related to the fuel composition and combustion, as well as methods to increase engine fuel flexibility. One potentially useful tool under development is Plasma Assisted Combustion (PAC), where a small amount of electrical energy is supplied to the combustion process to increase the chemical reactivity of a fuel-air mixture to promote faster ignition and flame propagation. Ability to control the ignition delay time and the laminar flame speed also provides ways to suppress thermoacoustic instabilities which is another challenge in the... (More)

Efficient and clean production of electrical and mechanical energy for use in industry, transportation and propulsion is currently a concern. The transition from fossil fuels to biofuels involves challenges related to the fuel composition and combustion, as well as methods to increase engine fuel flexibility. One potentially useful tool under development is Plasma Assisted Combustion (PAC), where a small amount of electrical energy is supplied to the combustion process to increase the chemical reactivity of a fuel-air mixture to promote faster ignition and flame propagation. Ability to control the ignition delay time and the laminar flame speed also provides ways to suppress thermoacoustic instabilities which is another challenge in the transition to sustainable fuels. Microwave irradiation is especially advantageous for direct flame stimulation since there is no need to insert electrodes into the combustion zone, and here we focus on microwave assisted combustion. Most prior studies of microwave assisted combustion have been performed experimentally for laminar flames but now there is a need to study also turbulent flames. Numerical simulations have proven useful in analyzing turbulent flames after the introduction of the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method. Here, we perform on LES of microwave assisted turbulent combustion in a turbulent low-swirl flame previously studied by Ehn et al. (Proc. Comb. Inst. 36, 2017, p 4121). We here use a newly developed reaction mechanism for combustion and plasma chemistry including also ambipolar diffusion and explicit calculation of the self-induced electric field. Comparison with experimental data shows improved results compared to previous LES and increased understanding. Novelty and significance statement: This study pioneers the numerical simulation of microwave-assisted turbulent combustion, extending prior experimental research beyond laminar flames. By incorporating a newly developed reaction mechanism with plasma chemistry, ambipolar diffusion, and self-induced electric fields, it enhances predictive accuracy and understanding, addressing critical challenges in fuel flexibility, ignition control, and thermoacoustic stability for sustainable combustion technologies.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Large eddy simulation, Low-swirl flame, Microwave assisted combustion, Validation
in
Combustion and Flame
volume
285
article number
114764
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105027456326
ISSN
0010-2180
DOI
10.1016/j.combustflame.2026.114764
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2026
id
791c42c9-b39e-4fa0-bff7-b2436d90bdf5
date added to LUP
2026-03-23 14:56:21
date last changed
2026-03-23 14:57:25
@article{791c42c9-b39e-4fa0-bff7-b2436d90bdf5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Efficient and clean production of electrical and mechanical energy for use in industry, transportation and propulsion is currently a concern. The transition from fossil fuels to biofuels involves challenges related to the fuel composition and combustion, as well as methods to increase engine fuel flexibility. One potentially useful tool under development is Plasma Assisted Combustion (PAC), where a small amount of electrical energy is supplied to the combustion process to increase the chemical reactivity of a fuel-air mixture to promote faster ignition and flame propagation. Ability to control the ignition delay time and the laminar flame speed also provides ways to suppress thermoacoustic instabilities which is another challenge in the transition to sustainable fuels. Microwave irradiation is especially advantageous for direct flame stimulation since there is no need to insert electrodes into the combustion zone, and here we focus on microwave assisted combustion. Most prior studies of microwave assisted combustion have been performed experimentally for laminar flames but now there is a need to study also turbulent flames. Numerical simulations have proven useful in analyzing turbulent flames after the introduction of the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method. Here, we perform on LES of microwave assisted turbulent combustion in a turbulent low-swirl flame previously studied by Ehn et al. (Proc. Comb. Inst. 36, 2017, p 4121). We here use a newly developed reaction mechanism for combustion and plasma chemistry including also ambipolar diffusion and explicit calculation of the self-induced electric field. Comparison with experimental data shows improved results compared to previous LES and increased understanding. Novelty and significance statement: This study pioneers the numerical simulation of microwave-assisted turbulent combustion, extending prior experimental research beyond laminar flames. By incorporating a newly developed reaction mechanism with plasma chemistry, ambipolar diffusion, and self-induced electric fields, it enhances predictive accuracy and understanding, addressing critical challenges in fuel flexibility, ignition control, and thermoacoustic stability for sustainable combustion technologies.</p>}},
  author       = {{Nordin-Bates, K. and Hurtig, T. and Zettervall, N. and Robertsson, R. and Nilsson, E. and Lörstad, D. and Ehn, A. and Fureby, C.}},
  issn         = {{0010-2180}},
  keywords     = {{Large eddy simulation; Low-swirl flame; Microwave assisted combustion; Validation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Combustion and Flame}},
  title        = {{Numerical simulation of microwave-enhanced low swirl methane-air flames}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.combustflame.2026.114764}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.combustflame.2026.114764}},
  volume       = {{285}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}