Numerical simulation of a premixed combustion in a Jet-Stirred Reactor

The industrial combustion plays an important role in the global energy landscape as it accounts for the major share of the worldwide energy consumption. This aspect is further enhanced by the increasing in the demand for electricity. Nonetheless, the world is increasing its awareness on the environmental impact of traditional fossil-fuel-based systems. Thus, in this context a transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy sources is necessary. In the last decades renewable sources have gained attention as viable alternatives. However, their functioning is related to climatic conditions such as, the presence of sunlight or wind. Unfortunately, these conditions can be intermittent and geographically variable. Given this aspect, it is fundamental to establish a relationship between conventional fossil-fuel-based energy systems and renewable energy sources to ensure a balanced and reliable global energy supply. This, in turn, underline the importance of advancing combustion technologies. The scope of the thesis work is concerned with the modelling of the premixed combustion in Jet-Stirred Reactor. The activity is focused on a test case for which experimental data are available from the literature and is connected to an ongoing research project with EthosEnergy Italy. The software used for both design and simulate the combustor are respectively Solidworks and Ansys Fluent. The work starts with an introduction to both Gas Turbine and Fluid Dynamic Theory, in this second part a specific focus is done on the Ansys Fluent solver theory. Then, a deeper analysis of Combustion Modelling is given with a focus on the path of NOx formation. Finally, in the concluding section, the thesis presents the results and insights garnered through the modelling process, drawing meaningful conclusions, and offering recommendations for future research.