scholarly journals Response of a Model Gas Turbine Combustor to Variation in Gaseous Fuel Composition

2000 ◽  
Vol 123 (4) ◽  
pp. 824-831 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Flores ◽  
M. M. Miyasato ◽  
V. G. McDonell ◽  
G. S. Samuelsen

The effect of fuel composition on performance is evaluated on a model gas turbine combustor designed to mimic key features of practical devices. A flexible fuel injection system is utilized to control the placement of the fuel in the device to allow exploration and evaluation of fuel distribution effects in addition to chemistry effects. Gas blends reflecting the extremes in compositions found in the U.S. are considered. The results illustrate that, for the conditions and configuration studied, both fuel chemistry and fuel air mixing play a role in the performance of the device. While chemistry appears to be the predominant factor in stability, a role is noted in emissions performance as well. It is also found that changes in fuel distribution associated with changes in fuel momentum for fixed firing rate also have an impact on emissions. For the system considered, a strategy for sustaining optimal performance while fuel composition changes is illustrated.

Author(s):  
R. M. Flores ◽  
M. M. Miyasato ◽  
V. G. McDonell ◽  
G. S. Samuelsen

The effect of fuel composition on performance is evaluated on a model gas turbine combustor designed to mimic key features of practical devices. A flexible fuel injection system is utilized to control the placement of the fuel in the device to allow exploration and evaluation of fuel distribution effects in addition to chemistry effects. Gas blends reflecting the extremes in compositions found in the U.S. are considered. The results illustrate that, for the conditions and configuration studied, both fuel chemistry and fuel air mixing play a role in the performance of the device. While chemistry appears to be the predominant factor in stability, a role is noted in emissions performance as well. It is also found that changes in fuel distribution associated with changes in fuel momentum for fixed firing rate also have an impact on emissions. For the system considered, a strategy for sustaining optimal performance while fuel composition changes is illustrated.


1989 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. D. Cameron ◽  
J. Brouwer ◽  
C. P. Wood ◽  
G. S. Samuelsen

This work represents a first step in the establishment of a data base to study the interaction and influence of liquid fuel injection, wall jet interaction, and dome geometry on the fuel air mixing process in a flowfield representative of a practical combustor. In particular, the aerodynamic and thermal fields of a model gas turbine combustor are characterized via detailed spatial maps of velocity and temperature. Measurements are performed at an overall equivalence ratio of 0.3 with a petroleum JP-4 fuel. The results reveal that the flowfield characteristics are significantly altered in the presence of reaction. Strong on-axis backmixing in the dome region, present in the isothermal flow, is dissipated in the case of reaction. The thermal field exhibits the primary, secondary, and dilution zone progression of temperatures characteristic of practical gas turbine combustors. A parametric variation on atomizing air reveals a substantial sensitivity of the mixing in this flow to nozzle performance and spray symmetry.


2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 701-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. M. Flores ◽  
V. G. McDonell ◽  
G. S. Samuelsen

In the area of stationary power generation, there exists a growing interest in understanding the role that gaseous fuel composition plays on the performance of natural gas-fired gas turbine systems. In this study, an atmospherically fired model gas turbine combustor with a fuel flexible fuel/air premixer is employed to investigate the impact of significant amounts of ethane and propane addition into a baseline natural gas fuel supply. The impacts of these various fuel compositions, in terms of the emissions of NOx and CO, and the coupled impact of the degree of fuel/air mixing, are captured explicitly for the present system by means of a statistically oriented testing methodology. These explicit expressions are also compared to emissions maps that encompass and expand beyond the statistically based test matrix to verify the validity of the employed statistical approach.


Author(s):  
R. M. Flores ◽  
V. G. McDonell ◽  
G. S. Samuelsen

In the area of stationary power generation, there exists a growing interest in understanding the role that gaseous fuel composition plays on the performance of natural gas-fired gas turbine systems. In this study, an atmospherically fired model gas turbine combustor with a fuel flexible fuel/air premixer is employed to investigate the impact of significant amounts of ethane and propane addition into a baseline natural gas fuel supply. The impacts of these various fuel compositions, in terms of the emissions of NOX and CO, and the coupled impact of the degree of fuel/air mixing, are captured explicitly for the present system by means of a statistically oriented testing methodology. These explicit expressions are also compared to emissions maps that encompass and expand beyond the statistically based test matrix to verify the validity of the employed statistical approach.


Author(s):  
Jisu Yoon ◽  
Seongpil Joo ◽  
Min Chul Lee ◽  
Jeongjin Kim ◽  
Jaeyo Oh ◽  
...  

Recently, energy resource depletion and unstable energy prices have become global issues. Worldwide pressure to secure and make more gas and oil available to support global power needs has increased. To meet these needs, alternative fuels composed of various types of fuels have received attention, including biomass, dimethyl ether (DME), and low rank coal. For this reason, the fuel flexibility of the combustion system becomes more important. In this study, H2 and CH4 were selected as the main fuel composition variables and the OH-chemiluminescence measurement technique was also applied. This experimental study was conducted under equivalence ratio and fuel composition variations with a model gas turbine combustor to examine the relation between combustion instability and fuel composition. The combustion instability peak occurs in the H2/CH4 50:50 composed fuel and the combustion instability frequency shifted to higher harmonic of longitudinal mode based on the H2 concentration of the fuel. Based on instability mode and flame length calculation, the effect of the convection time during the instability frequency increasing phenomenon was found in a partially premixed gas turbine combustor. The time-lag analysis showed that the short convection time in a high H2 concentration fuel affects the feedback loop period reduction and, in these conditions, high harmonics of longitudinal mode instability occurs. This fundamental study on combustion instability frequency shifting characteristics was conducted for H2/CH4 composed fuel and the results contribute key information for the conceptual design of a fuel flexible gas turbine and its optimum operation conditions.


Author(s):  
J. Brouwer ◽  
B. A. Ault ◽  
J. E. Bobrow ◽  
G. S. Samuelsen

Closed-loop feedback control, developed in a axisymmetric can combustor, is demonstrated in a model can combustor with discrete wall jets. The study represents the initial steps toward the application of feedback control technology to practical gas turbine combustion systems. For the present application, the radiative flux from soot particulate is used as an indication of combustor performance, and nozzle atomizing air is selected as the input parameter. A measurement of radiative flux at the exit plane of the combustor is conveyed to a control computer which invokes an optimization algorithm to determine changes in the dome region necessary to minimize the radiative flux from soot. The results demonstrate the utility and potential of active control for maintaining optimal performance in real-time.


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