Influence of magnetic field on flame dynamics in hydrogen flames: A numerical study

Abstract

Electromagnetic fields influence flame behavior by altering the transport of paramagnetic species such as oxygen and OH radicals in hydrogen flames, affecting reaction pathways and combustion dynamics. This study presents a numerical investigation of the effects of magnetic fields on a premixed swirl-stabilized hydrogen flame using a modified combustion solver in OpenFOAM. Additional body force and diffusion terms were incorporated into the governing equations to model interactions with paramagnetic species, and the solver was validated against experimental data and simulations from the literature. The study focuses on analyzing flame structure, species redistribution, and mixture fraction variations under magnetic conditioning. Large Eddy Simulations (LES) with the Eulerian Stochastic Fields (ESF) method were employed to capture turbulence-chemistry interactions. The results indicate that the presence of a magnetic field induces an upstream-directed force on oxygen, leading to localized changes in mixture fraction and combustion characteristics. A reduction in temperature, heat release rate, and OH concentration was observed, with peak reductions of approximately 2%, 5%, and 6%, respectively. These effects are attributed to the redistribution of oxygen, which makes the flame locally leaner. This study extends the understanding of hydrogen combustion under electromagnetic influence and demonstrates the potential of magnetic fields for controlling the flame behavior. The findings provide new insights into magnetic field-assisted combustion strategies, offering a framework for further research in advanced propulsion and energy applications.