Numerical simulation of a gasoline spray using one-dimensional turbulence for primary atomization

Paper in proceeding, 2020

Predictive and reliable simulations have the potential to constitute a valuable tool for the optimization of spray systems if accurate submodels are developed for the entire range of the governing processes. The primary breakup of the turbulent liquid jet is one the most important mechanisms in sprays, yet the least developed in terms of numerical modeling. The most accurate method to simulate primary breakup is the proper resolution of liquid-gas interfaces and turbulent flow structures. However, a wide range of relevant length and time scales implicate grid requirements that are often prohibitive for real engineering applications. The most widely used method in practice is still the representation of both the continuous liquid core and the dispersed phase by means of discrete Lagrangian particles evolving in and interacting with the Eulerian gas phase. The available models for primary breakup are mainly phenomenological and involve a number of empirical constants. The one-dimensional turbulence (ODT) model is an alternative stochastic approach to model turbulence in flows with a dominant direction of property gradients. The stochastic representation of turbulent eddies on a one-dimensional domain enables high resolution at moderate computational costs. Applications of ODT to atomization revealed a great potential in recent studies. The objective of the present study is to combine ODT as a primary breakup model with a conventional Eulerian-Lagrangian method for the further spray evolution in order to asses ODT as a submodel in full spray models. Our numerical investigations were conducted on the ECN spray G, a gasoline-like, evaporating spray. The results in terms of spray penetration are encouraging, though the applicability of ODT to the transient injection phase and effects on additional spray characteristics require further investigation.