On the Influence of Fuel Distribution on the Flame Structure of Bluff-Body Stabilized Flames

Author(s):  
Jeffery A. Lovett ◽  
Kareem Ahmed ◽  
Oleksandr Bibik ◽  
Andrew G. Smith ◽  
Eugene Lubarsky ◽  
...  

This paper describes recent learning on the flame structure associated with bluff-body stabilized flames and the influence of the fuel distribution with nonpremixed, jet-in-crossflow fuel injection. Recent experimental and analytical results disclosing the flame structure are discussed in relation to classical combustion reaction zone regimes. Chemiluminescence and planar fluorescence imaging of OH* radicals as an indicator of the flame zone are analyzed from various tests conducted at Georgia Tech using a two-dimensional vane-type bluff-body with simple wall-orifice fuel injectors. The results described in this paper support the view that combustion occurs in separated flame zones aligned with the nonpremixed fuel distribution associated with the fuel jets that are very stable and contribute to flame stability at low fuel flow rates. The experimental data is also compared with computational reacting flow large-eddy simulations and interpreted in terms of the fundamental reaction zone regimes for premixed flames. For the conditions of the present experiment, the results indicate combustion occurs over a wide range of flame regimes including the broken reaction zone or separated flamelet regimes.

Author(s):  
Jeffery A. Lovett ◽  
Kareem A. Ahmed ◽  
Oleksandr Bibik ◽  
Andrew G. Smith ◽  
Eugene Lubarsky ◽  
...  

This paper describes recent learning on the flame structure associated with bluff-body stabilized flames and the influence of the fuel distribution with nonpremixed, jet-in-crossflow fuel injection. Recent experimental and analytical results disclosing the flame structure are discussed in relation to classical combustion reaction zone regimes. Chemiluminescence and planar fluorescence imaging of OH* radicals as an indicator of the flame zone are analyzed from various tests conducted at Georgia Tech using a two-dimensional vane-type bluffbody with simple wall-orifice fuel injectors. The results described in this paper support the view that combustion occurs in separated flame zones aligned with the non-premixed fuel distribution associated with the fuel jets that are very stable and contribute to flame stability at low fuel flow rates. The experimental data is also compared with computational reacting flow large-eddy simulations and interpreted in terms of the fundamental reaction zone regimes for premixed flames. For the conditions of the present experiment, the results indicate combustion occurs over a wide range of flame regimes including the broken reaction zone or separated flamelet regimes.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Γεώργιος Πατεράκης

The current work describes an experimental investigation of isothermal and turbulent reacting flow field characteristics downstream of axisymmetric bluff body stabilizers under a variety of inlet mixture conditions. Fully premixed and stratified flames established downstream of this double cavity premixer/burner configuration were measured and assessed under lean and ultra-lean operating conditions. The aim of this thesis was to further comprehend the impact of stratifying the inlet fuelair mixture on the reacting wake characteristics for a range of practical stabilizers under a variety of inlet fuel-air settings. In the first part of this thesis, the isothermal mean and turbulent flow features downstream of a variety of axisymmetric baffles was initially examined. The effect of different shapes, (cone or disk), blockage ratios, (0.23 and 0.48), and rim thicknesses of these baffles was assessed. The variations of the recirculation zones, back flow velocity magnitude, annular jet ejection angles, wake development, entrainment efficiency, as well as several turbulent flow features were obtained, evaluated and appraised. Next, a comparative examination of the counterpart turbulent cold fuel-air mixing performance and characteristics of stratified against fully-premixed operation was performed for a wide range of baffle geometries and inlet mixture conditions. Scalar mixing and entrainment properties were investigated at the exit plane, at the bluff body annular shear layer, at the reattachment region and along the developing wake were investigated. These isothermal studies provided the necessary background information for clarifying the combustion properties and interpreting the trends in the counterpart turbulent reacting fields. Subsequently, for selected bluff bodies, flame structures and behavior for operation with a variety of reacting conditions were demonstrated. The effect of inlet fuel-air mixture settings, fuel type and bluff body geometry on wake development, flame shape, anchoring and structure, temperatures and combustion efficiencies, over lean and close to blow-off conditions, was presented and analyzed. For the obtained measurements infrared radiation, particle image velocimetry, laser doppler velocimetry, chemiluminescence imaging set-ups, together with Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy, thermocouples and global emission analyzer instrumentation was employed. This helped to delineate a number of factors that affectcold flow fuel-air mixing, flame anchoring topologies, wake structure development and overall burner performance. The presented data will also significantly assist the validation of computational methodologies for combusting flows and the development of turbulence-chemistry interaction models.


Author(s):  
Ahmed O. Said ◽  
Ashwani K. Gupta

Fuel injection at two locations in a combustor using premixed, partially pre-mixed and non-premixed schemes has been explored for improved distributed combustion. The effect of dual location fuel injection to the combustor is examined and the results compared from single fuel injection. Focus of dual and single injection scheme was on enhancing reaction zone uniformity in the combustor. A cylindrical combustor at a combustion intensity of 36MW/m3.atm and heat load of 6.25 kW was used. Three different schemes of dual location fuel injection with different proportions of fuel injected from each injector were investigated using methane as the fuel. The role of fuel distribution between the two injection ports using constant air flow rate to the combustor at room temperature was examined on reaction zone distribution and pollutants emission. Three different equivalence ratios of 0.6, 0.7 and 0.8 were examined with different fuel distributions between the two injectors to the combustor at a constant overall thermal load. The results showed lower emission with dual location fuel injection as compared to single location. Dual location fuel injection showed 48% NO reduction with 90% of the total fuel from injector 1 while only 13% reduction was achieved with 80% of the fuel injection from this location. . OH* Chemiluminescene intensity distribution within the combustor showed that under favorable fuel injection condition, the reaction zone shifted downstream to allow longer fuel mixture preparation time prior to ignition. The longer mixing time resulted in improved mixture preparation and lower emissions. The OH* Chemiluminescene intensity distribution with fuel introduced through two injectors showed improved OH* distribution in the combustor. Improved mixture preparation enhanced reaction distribution in the combustor and lower emission.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eunju Jeong ◽  
Sean O’Byrne ◽  
In-Seuck Jeung ◽  
A. F. P. Houwing

Supersonic combustion experiments were performed using three different hydrogen fuel-injection configurations in a cavity-based model scramjet combustor with various global fuel–air equivalence ratios. The configurations tested were angled injection at 15° to the flow direction upstream of the cavity, parallel injection from the front step, and upstream injection from the rear ramp. Planar laser-induced fluorescence of the hydroxyl radical and time-resolved pressure measurements were used to investigate the flow characteristics. Angled injection generated a weak bow shock in front of the injector and recirculation zone to maintain the combustion as the equivalence ratio increased. Parallel and upstream injections both showed similar flame structure over the cavity at low equivalence ratio. Upstream injection enhanced the fuel diffusion and enabled ignition with a shorter delay length than with parallel injection. The presence of a flame near the cavity was determined while varying the fuel injection location, the equivalence ratio, and total enthalpy of the air flow. The flame characteristics agreed with the correlation plot for the stable flame limit of non-premixed conditions. The pressure increase in the cavity for reacting flow compared to non-reacting flow was almost identical for all three configurations. More than 300 mm downstream of the duct entrance, averaged pressure ratios at low global equivalence ratio were similar for all three injection configurations.


Author(s):  
J. R. Maughan ◽  
R. E. Warren ◽  
A. K. Tolpadi ◽  
T. P. Roloff

Results presented here illustrate how optimizing the fuel distribution at injection reduces the subsequent mixing needed for ultralow emissions in lean, premixed gaseous flames. An experimental facility was developed for bluff body stabilization of a high pressure natural gas flame at the exit of a 4” diameter mixing tube. Fuel was injected through two concentric ring manifolds. NOx and CO drop dramatically from diffusion flame to perfectly premixed levels with increasing mixing distance. Furthermore, for each mixing distance, there is an optimum fuel split that results in minimum NOx and CO emissions. Computational fluid dynamics and laser sheet flow visualization show the recirculation zones and fluid mixing that affect fuel injection requirements. Although improved fuel injection and greater mixing will both drive the NOx-CO curve to the origin, improving the initial fuel distribution reduces the requirement for subsequent mixing.


Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1057
Author(s):  
Gemunu H. Gunaratne ◽  
Sukesh Roy

In this paper, we introduce a model-free algorithm, robust mode analysis (RMA), to extract primary constituents in a fluid or reacting flow directly from high-frequency, high-resolution experimental data. It is expected to be particularly useful in studying strongly driven flows, where nonlinearities can induce chaotic and irregular dynamics. The lack of precise governing equations and the absence of symmetries or other simplifying constraints in realistic configurations preclude the derivation of analytical solutions for these systems; the presence of flow structures over a wide range of scales handicaps finding their numerical solutions. Thus, the need for direct analysis of experimental data is reinforced. RMA is predicated on the assumption that primary flow constituents are common in multiple, nominally identical realizations of an experiment. Their search relies on the identification of common dynamic modes in the experiments, the commonality established via proximity of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. Robust flow constituents are then constructed by combining common dynamic modes that flow at the same rate. We illustrate RMA using reacting flows behind a symmetric bluff body. Two robust constituents, whose signatures resemble symmetric and von Karman vortex shedding, are identified. It is shown how RMA can be implemented via extended dynamic mode decomposition in flow configurations interrogated with a small number of time-series. This approach may prove useful in analyzing changes in flow patterns in engines and propulsion systems equipped with sturdy arrays of pressure transducers or thermocouples. Finally, an analysis of high Reynolds number jet flows suggests that tests of statistical characterizations in turbulent flows may best be done using non-robust components of the flow.


Author(s):  
P. Iudiciani ◽  
S. M. Hosseini ◽  
R. Zoltan-Szasz ◽  
C. Duwig ◽  
L. Fuchs ◽  
...  

Modern gas turbine spray combustors feature multiple swirlers with distributed fuel injection system for rapid fuel/air mixing and flame stabilization ensuring low NOx operations. In the present paper, we investigate the effects of different swirler designs on flame characteristics, stabilization, and behavior at lean blow out using a Triple Annular Research Swirler (TARS) burner. Simultaneous planar measurements using laser diagnostics, namely, Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) of OH radicals indicating the reacting zone, LIF Acetone indicating unburnt fuel distribution and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) for flow field mapping, were applied to study the flow dynamics, fuel distribution and flame dynamics for different swirler geometries, air flow rates, and equivalence ratios. Both axial and nearly perpendicular to axis cross-sectional planes were investigated. The three swirler configurations allowed getting stable and repeatable flames over a wide range of different flow and fuel equivalence ratio conditions, confirming the good flexibility and operability of the TARS burner. Averaged fields are presented to compare the effect of different flow conditions using the same swirler configuration, and the effect of different swirler configurations at the same flow conditions. LIF and PIV instantaneous samples are also shown, both in axial and cross sectional planes, with structures captured in detail. Perfect matching is found between unburnt and burnt field, as well as agreement between axial and cross-sectional measurements. Particular attention has been placed on unstable flames and a highly unsteady flame near the lean blow out (LBO) is shown. Local extinctions are occasionally seen on instantaneous snapshots. Unsteadiness of such flame is suitable to exemplify the use of Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) analysis that identifies the most “energetic” large scale structures or modes of the flame. In particular, rotational and helical modes are observed which can contribute to the swirling flame instability. The results show the effect of the strength and rotation direction of the swirlers can lead to strong flame stratification or to a more homogenous flames. Analysis of the flame dynamics, indicates that the flame can be stabilized dynamically without the presence of a Central Recirculation Zone (CRZ) through flame quenching and flame propagation.


Author(s):  
Jeffery A. Lovett ◽  
Caleb Cross ◽  
Eugene Lubarsky ◽  
Ben T. Zinn

The processes controlling bluff-body stabilized combustion have been extensively studied over the years because such stabilization approaches are commonly used in many practical systems. Much of the current understanding of this problem was attained in experimental and analytical studies of premixed combustion systems where the complexities introduced by fuel atomization, vaporization and mixing could be neglected. Yet, practical considerations often require fuel injection just upstream of the bluff-body stabilized combustion region. Consequently, it’s necessary to develop understanding of the fundamental processes in such non-premixed systems. Supplying fuel via the injection of discrete liquid fuel jets requires understanding of the complex physics of two-phase sprays and the transport to various regions within the combustor. This paper describes current understanding of the manner in which these processes affect flame stabilization in bluff-body combustion systems that employ close-coupled, liquid fuel injection. Specifically, the paper compares findings of premixed bluff-body flames with recent results obtained in studies using close-coupled fueling at Georgia Tech to support postulates of the processes controlling flame stabilization and flame structure. These findings are also used to propose a set of parameters that can be used to describe the combustion behavior and performance of such combustion systems.


Author(s):  
Christina Schro¨dinger ◽  
Michael Oevermann ◽  
Oliver Kru¨ger ◽  
Arnaud Lacarelle ◽  
Christian O. Paschereit

In this paper, we investigate the feasibility and limitation of modeling non reacting and reacting flows of a premixed burner with steady RANS. The burner investigated here is a standard industrial swirl-inducing burner equipped with a staging of fuel injection. The simulation results on mixing quality, flame shape and position and convective time delays are compared to measurements which are performed in a water test rig and in a combustion chamber. The RANS simulations can qualitatively capture the trends observed from experimental data. The simulated mixing quality evolves in a similar way as the experimental data when the fuel distribution is changed. Using a turbulent Schmidt number of 0.2, the absolute values are in good agreement with the measured ones. Variations of the fuel injection distribution lead to changes in the flame shape and its stabilization location. The simulated reacting flow optimized with respect to the turbulent Schmidt/Prandtl number (Sct /Prt = 0.55) is able to predict the changes in flame shape and flame position. However, the shifting of the flame is not as distinct as observed in the experiments. This explains that variations in simulated convective time delays are also smaller than in reality. Nevertheless, the qualitative characteristics of the time delays depending on the fuel distribution parameter can be reproduced and absolute values are generally similar to those of the measurements.


Author(s):  
Tomohiro Asai ◽  
Hiromi Koizumi ◽  
Satoschi Dodo ◽  
Hirokazu Takahashi ◽  
Shouhei Yoshida ◽  
...  

To demonstrate the applicability of a “multiple-injection burner” to dry low-NOx combustion of hydrogen-rich fuels, the combustion characteristics of a burner were experimentally investigated. The experimental results show that a burner with a flame lift-off length of 5 mm and a fuel-injection-hole diameter of 1.5 mm achieves low NOx concentration of less than 6 ppm for hydrogen-rich fuels with a wide range of hydrogen concentrations. This finding demonstrates that the burner achieves dry low-NOx combustion of these hydrogen-rich fuels without need for any modification of the burner’s configuration. Moreover, it was found that fuel distribution, fuel composition, flame lift-off length, and fuel-jet velocity have significant effects on the burners’ combustion characteristics.


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