A three-dimensional direct numerical simulation is conducted for a temporally evolving planar jet of n-heptane at a pressure of 40 atmospheres and in a coflow of air at 1100 K. At these conditions, n-heptane exhibits a two-stage ignition due to low- and high-temperature chemistry, which is reproduced by the global chemical model used in this study. The results show that ignition occurs in several overlapping stages and multiple modes of combustion are present. Low-temperature chemistry precedes the formation of multiple spatially localised high-temperature chemistry autoignition events, referred to as ‘kernels’. These kernels form within the shear layer and core of the jet at compositions with short homogeneous ignition delay times and in locations experiencing low scalar dissipation rates. An analysis of the kernel histories shows that the ignition delay time is correlated with the mixing rate history and that the ignition kernels tend to form in vortically dominated regions of the domain, as corroborated by an analysis of the topology of the velocity gradient tensor. Once ignited, the kernels grow rapidly and establish edge flames where they envelop the stoichiometric isosurface. A combination of kernel formation (autoignition) and the growth of existing burning surface (via edge-flame propagation) contributes to the overall ignition process. An analysis of propagation speeds evaluated on the burning surface suggests that although the edge-flame speed is promoted by the autoignitive conditions due to an increase in the local laminar flame speed, edge-flame propagation of existing burning surfaces (triggered initially by isolated autoignition kernels) is the dominant ignition mode in the present configuration.

This article reports an analysis of the first detailed chemistry direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a high Karlovitz number laboratory premixed flame. The DNS results are first compared with those from laser-based diagnostics with good agreement. The subsequent analysis focuses on a detailed investigation of the flame area, its local thickness and their rates of change in isosurface following reference frames, quantities that are intimately connected. The net flame stretch is demonstrated to be a small residual of large competing terms: the positive tangential strain term and the negative curvature stretch term. The latter is found to be driven by flame speed–curvature correlations and dominated in net by low probability highly curved regions. Flame thickening is demonstrated to be substantial on average, while local regions of flame thinning are also observed. The rate of change of the flame thickness (as measured by the scalar gradient magnitude) is demonstrated, analogously to flame stretch, to be a competition between straining tending to increase gradients and flame speed variations in the normal direction tending to decrease them. The flame stretch and flame thickness analyses are connected by the observation that high positive tangential strain rate regions generally correspond with low curvature regions; these regions tend to be positively stretched in net and are relatively thinner compared with other regions. High curvature magnitude regions (both positive and negative) generally correspond with lower tangential strain; these regions are in net negatively stretched and thickened substantially.

A turbulent lifted slot-jet flame is studied using direct numerical simulation (DNS). A one-step chemistry model is employed with a mixture-fraction-dependent activation energy which can reproduce qualitatively the dependence of the laminar burning rate on the equivalence ratio that is typical of hydrocarbon fuels. The basic structure of the flame base is first examined and discussed in the context of earlier experimental studies of lifted flames. Several features previously observed in experiments are noted and clarified. Some other unobserved features are also noted. Comparison with previous DNS modelling of hydrogen flames reveals significant structural differences. The statistics of flow and relative edge-flame propagation velocity components conditioned on the leading edge locations are then examined. The results show that, on average, the streamwise flame propagation and streamwise flow balance, thus demonstrating that edge-flame propagation is the basic stabilisation mechanism. Fluctuations of the edge locations and net edge velocities are, however, significant. It is demonstrated that the edges tend to move in an essentially two-dimensional (2D) elliptical pattern (laterally outwards towards the oxidiser, then upstream, then inwards towards the fuel, then downstream again). It is proposed that this is due to the passage of large eddies, as outlined in Su et al. (Combust. Flame, vol. 144 (3), 2006, pp. 494–512). However, the mechanism is not entirely 2D, and out-of-plane motion is needed to explain how flames escape the high-velocity inner region of the jet. Finally, the time-averaged structure is examined. A budget of terms in the transport equation for the product mass fraction is used to understand the stabilisation from a time-averaged perspective. The result of this analysis is found to be consistent with the instantaneous perspective. The budget reveals a fundamentally 2D structure, involving transport in both the streamwise and transverse directions, as opposed to possible mechanisms involving a dominance of either one direction of transport. It features upstream transport balanced by entrainment into richer conditions, while on the rich side, upstream turbulent transport and entrainment from leaner conditions balance the streamwise convection.