An open-source tool for predictive simulation of diffusion flames in analytical chemistry

Abstract

This work presents a computational model of gas flow and hydrogen combustion in a diffusion flame. We validate the model using a simple miniature diffusion flame hydride atomizer, in which the H radical distribution was both simulated and determined by two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence. Good agreement of the simulations with the experiments was found. Since the performance of a hydride atomizer can be linked directly to the H radical distribution in the atomizer the presented model is a reliable predictive tool for atomizer optimization and for design of new atomizer geometries. The model is based on the open source laminarSMOKE framework and is itself open-source; it can be therefore leveraged by the scientific community for further theoretical studies on various hydride atomizers.