Direct numerical simulations of high speed reactive mixing layers

The present work is devoted to the analysis of ignition phenomena in high speed turbulent reactive flows. From the computational modelling point of view, this requires to account accurately for the competition between molecular diffusion effects and chemical kinetics as well as complex flowfield structures that may feature shock and expansion waves. Some results of direct numerical simulations of the multicomponent, compressible, reactive Navier-Stokes equations are reported here for the particular case of a two-dimensional mixing layer. Special emphasis is placed on the effects associated with heat release.