The numerical analysis of flame stability in case of premixed hydrogen-air combustion

• Numerical analysis and investigation of clustered slit burners characterized by close proximities. • Clustered burners are 30-50 % more prone to flashback under premixed hydrogen air combustion. • Real, fluctuating inlet conditions worsen the flashback behavior of hydrogen burners by a further 32 %. This study addresses the urgent need for decarbonization of heating sector, focusing on the potential of hydrogen-air combustion in gas condensing boilers. In the field of gas condensing boilers, groups of holes or slits can be used in perforated burner surfaces, providing a possible solution to the challenge of hydrogen air combustion. Real burners are always adjacent to an area with non-existent combustion, which can lead to a disturbed flame pattern. For this reason, a comparison between single-slit and multi-slit perforated flame holders with a significantly reduced structure temperature with a hydrogen-air premix is carried out as part of this study. Using Ansys Fluent, a 2D simulation approach is employed to analyze laminar flame stability behind a perforated flame holder. Inlet conditions consider fully premixed and homogenous distributed mixtures as well as non-homogeneous premixed mixtures, with variations in pressure, velocity, and mixing degree. The model examines various slit-burner configurations and flashback behaviors based on an actual geometric shape used in a gas heating device. It has been found that with finite multi-slit burners, the bulk flow rates at the critical flashback point are 30–50% higher compared to infinitely symmetrical burners. A further deterioration of 32% is to be expected due to real mixture quality fluctuations and inhomogeneous inflow conditions. Finally, the findings demonstrate the model’s potential for designing efficient surface-stabilized burners and lay the groundwork for future 3D simulations in the pursuit of sustainable heating solutions.