Internal combustion engine simulations are commonly per
formed using the RANS (Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes) approach. It gives a correct estimates o
f global quantities but is by nature not adapted to describe phenomena strongly linked to cyclic variations. On the other hand, large eddy simulation (LES) is a promising technique to determine successive engine cycles. This work demonstrates the
feasibility o
f LES engine cycles simulation by using a
flame sur
face density (FSD) approach. This approach, presented in a
first section, combines an Eulerian spark ignition model derived
from the RANS AKTIM model [J.M. Duclos, O. Colin,
Arc and Kernel Tracking Ignition Model for 3D SI Engines Calculations, Comodia, Nagoya, Japan, 2001, pp. 343–350] and a Coherent Flame Model (CFM) [S. Candel, T. Poinsot,
Combust. Sci. Tech. 70 (1990) 1–15;
f=""#bib3"">O. Colin, A. Benkenida, C. Angelberger,
Oil &
Gas Sci. Techn.—
Rev. IFP 58 (1) (2003) 47–32] describing the
flame propagation. The CFM model, commonly used in RANS simulations, is here
formulated in a LES context. In a second part, the whole ignition-combustion model is validated against an experiment relative to the turbulent ignition and
flame propagation o
f a stoichiometric propane-air mixture [B. Renou, A. Boukhal
fa,
Combust. Sci. Tech. 162 (2001) 347–371]. Finally, LES engine cycles simulations are per
formed on a real engine con
figuration. First, the sensitivity o
f the model to the LES combustion
filter size
f=""/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_udi=B7GWS-4M04NYB-1&_mathId=mml6&_user=3986987&_cdi=20466&_rdoc=158&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_userid=10&md5=4b458713c6eba92bfa4fad11170f3f28""> is examined, showing a weak dependence o
f the modelling approach to
f=""/science?_ob=MathURL&_method=retrieve&_udi=B7GWS-4M04NYB-1&_mathId=mml7&_user=3986987&_cdi=20466&_rdoc=158&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_userid=10&md5=cc2f347a27b96aa31e4282b8b86ac1dc"">. Then results are compared to those obtained with the algebraic model
for the FSD proposed by Boger et al. [M. Boger, D. Veynante, H. Boughanem, A. Trouvé,
Proc. Combust. Inst. 27 (1998) 917–925] and the need
for non-equilibrium combustion models is demonstrated.