Understanding the Flame-wall Interaction Using High-fidelity Simulations

Direct numerical simulations of lean premixed V-shaped hydrogen flames in turbulent channel flow were performed to elucidate the coupling between local flow velocity and flame speed. A method based on the G-equation framework was developed to extract the laminar flame speed (SL) and the approaching flow velocity (uapp), revealing that both are strongly influenced by flame topology. Analysis using the flashback velocity (uFB=uapp,x−SL,x) shows that local flashback primarily occurs at flame cusps, while sustained upstream propagation originates from front-facing bulges. Complementary conjugate heat transfer simulations of thermal head-on quenching (HOQ) of stoichiometric hydrogen/air flames establish a unified thermal-resistance framework. The model predicts maximum wall heat flux and quenching distance as functions of the wall-to-flame resistance ratio, offering a compact, material-independent scaling for hydrogen combustor wall design.

Prof. Dong-Hyuk Shin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). He earned his BSc in Aerospace Engineering from KAIST in 2006 (summa cum laude, minor in Mathematics) and his PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2012, where he worked under Prof. Tim Lieuwen on premixed flame kinematics in harmonically oscillating velocity fields.

His research focuses on high-fidelity simulation of reacting and non-reacting flows, mathematical modelling of combustion processes, combustion instability, combustion noise, and the development of clean and safe combustion engines. Prior to joining KAIST as Assistant/Associate Professor in 2019, he held positions at the University of Edinburgh (Lecturer), University of Southampton (Research Fellow), CERFACS in France (Marie Curie Experienced Researcher), and Georgia Tech.

He has an extensive publication record in leading journals such as Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Combustion and Flame, and Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, and has successfully supervised four PhD students and 13 MSc students. Recognized for both research and teaching excellence, he received the KAIST Best Lecture Award in 2023 and was selected as one of KAIST’s 14 Representative Research Achievements in 2024. He actively contributes to the international combustion community through conference organisation and serves in several departmental leadership roles at KAIST.