Large Eddy Simulation and Experimental Measurements of a Methane-Air Fire Plume

Measurements of a large, 1-m in diameter, turbulent buoyant methane-air fire plume are taken and compared to results from numerical simulation using Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The experiments are carried out in Sandia’s FLAME (Fire Laboratory for Accreditation of Models and Experiments) facility and consist of a low velocity (0.12 m/sec) methane plume emitting upwards into ambient air. Numerical results show evidence of strong entrainment velocities resulting in flame pinch off near the base of the plume. Preliminary comparisons of the LES results to experimental measurements show good qualitative agreement to mean stream-wise and cross-stream velocities.