Effect of inlet flow turbulence on hydro–acoustic coupling and flame–vortex interactions in a premixed dump combustor

The present work examines the effect of inlet flow turbulence on the flame–vortex modulations, hydro–acoustic coupling and recirculation zone dynamics at the onset of instability. The flow turbulence intensity varied using a custom-designed turbulence generator with different slot-width blockage plates placed upstream to the nominal flame-stabilization zone. The high-speed recordings of the CH*/OH* chemiluminescence and particle image velocimetry are used to deduce the relation between the flame–acoustic, flame–vortex and hydrodynamic–acoustic features during the unsteady combustion. The bifurcation analysis map revealed the effect of high inlet flow turbulence on postponing the onset of instability to higher inlet flow parameters. The initial observations showed potential changes in the acoustic behaviour and dynamical state of premixed turbulent combustion with an increase in inlet flow turbulence. The spatial Rayleigh index map illustrates a significant change in the acoustic driving region at high inlet flow turbulence based on the flame stabilization, heat release zone and flame–acoustic modulation in the shear layer and recirculation zone. The velocity spectral analysis and dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) spectrum suggested a correlation between the acoustic modulation and hydrodynamic instabilities, resulting in higher heat release rate oscillations. The high inlet flow turbulence modulates the vertical flapping motion of the flame front and flame roll-up in the recirculation region as evident by DMD spectrum and spatial modes. The flame–vortex dynamics during the dynamic transition events showed that the high inlet flow turbulence influenced the vortex shedding along the shear layer and recirculation zone dynamics. At low turbulence intensity, the vortex, in turn, supports the bulk flame movement through the induced velocity, which interacts with the free stream to create regions of low velocity. In contrast, the vortex in the shear layer and flame resides along the shear layer at higher turbulence. The paper concludes that at higher inlet flow turbulence, the recirculating flame reduces the hydro–acoustically modulated flow velocity fluctuations, which significantly affect the upstream flame propagation propensity.