Development of an Engine Representative Combustor Simulator Dedicated to Hot Streak Generation

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlie Koupper ◽  
Gianluca Caciolli ◽  
Laurent Gicquel ◽  
Florent Duchaine ◽  
Guillaume Bonneau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computational Cost ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Combustion Chambers ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Safety Margins ◽  
University Of Florence ◽  
Hot Streak

Nowadays, the lack of confidence in the prediction of combustor-turbine interactions and more specifically our ability to predict the migration of hot spots through this interface leads to the application of extra safety margins, which are detrimental to an optimized turbine design and efficiency. To understand the physics and flow at this interface, a full 360 deg nonreactive combustor simulator (CS) representative of a recent lean burn chamber together with a 1.5 turbine stage is instrumented at DLR in Gottingen (Germany) within the European project FACTOR. The chamber operates with axial swirlers especially designed to reproduce engine-realistic velocity and temperature distortion profiles, allowing the investigation of the hot streaks transport through the high pressure (HP) stage. First, a true scale three injector annular sector of the CS without turbine is assembled and tested at the University of Florence. To generate the hot steaks, the swirlers are fed by an air flow at 531 K, while the liners are cooled by an effusion system fed with air at ambient temperature. In addition to static pressure taps and thermocouples, the test rig will be equipped with an automatic traverse system which allows detailed measurements at the combustor exit by means of a 5-hole probe, a thermocouple, and hot wire anemometers. This paper presents the design process and instrumentation of the trisector CS, with a special focus on large Eddy simulations (LES) which were widely used to validate the design choices. It was indeed decided to take advantage of the ability and maturity of LES to properly capture turbulence and mixing within combustion chambers, despite an increased computational cost as compared to usual Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) approaches. For preliminary design, simulations of a single periodic sector (representative of the DLR full annular rig) are compared to simulations of the trisector test rig, showing no difference on the central swirler predictions, comforting the choice for the trisector. In parallel, to allow hot wire anemometry (HWA) measurements, the selection of an isothermal operating point, representative of the nominal point, is assessed and validated by use of LES.

Development of an Engine Representative Combustor Simulator Dedicated to Hot Streak Generation

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlie Koupper ◽  
Guillaume Bonneau ◽  
Gianluca Caciolli ◽  
Bruno Facchini ◽  
Lorenzo Tarchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computational Cost ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Combustion Chambers ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Safety Margins ◽  
High Pressure Stage ◽  
University Of Florence ◽  
Hot Streak

Nowadays, the lack of confidence in the prediction of combustor-turbine interactions and more specifically our ability to predict the migration of hot spots through this interface leads to the application of extra safety margins, which are detrimental to an optimized turbine design and efficiency. To understand the physics and flow at this interface, a full 360° non-reactive combustor simulator representative of a recent lean burn chamber together with a 1.5 turbine stage is instrumented at DLR in Gottingen (Germany) within the European project FACTOR. The chamber operates with axial swirlers especially designed to reproduce engine-realistic velocity and temperature distortion profiles allowing the investigation of the hot streaks transport through the high pressure stage. First, a true scale three injector annular sector of the combustor simulator without turbine is assembled and tested at the University of Florence. To generate the hot steaks the swirlers are fed by an air flow at 531 K, while the liners are cooled by an effusion system fed with air at ambient temperature. In addition to static pressure taps and thermocouples, the test rig will be equipped with an automatic traverse system which allows detailed measurements at the combustor exit by means of a 5-hole probe, a thermocouple and hot wire anemometers. This paper presents the design process and instrumentation of the trisector combustor simulator, with a special focus on Large Eddy Simulations (LES) which were widely used to validate the design choices. It was indeed decided to take advantage of the ability and maturity of LES to properly capture turbulence and mixing within combustion chambers, despite an increased computational cost as compared to usual RANS approaches. For preliminary design, simulations of a single periodic sector (representative of the DLR full annular rig) are compared to simulations of the trisector test rig, showing no difference on the central swirler predictions, comforting the choice for the trisector. In parallel, to allow hot wire anemometry measurements, the selection of an isothermal operating point, representative of the nominal point, is assessed and validated by use of LES.

Hybrid RANS-LES Modeling of the Aerothermal Field in an Annular Hot Streak Generator for the Study of Combustor–Turbine Interaction

2016 ◽  
Vol 139 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Andreini ◽  
T. Bacci ◽  
M. Insinna ◽  
L. Mazzei ◽  
S. Salvadori
Keyword(s):  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Complex Flow ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Flow Physics ◽  
Safety Margins ◽  
Viable Approach ◽  
Sas Model ◽  
Aero Engines ◽  
Eu Project

The adoption of lean-burn technology in modern aero-engines influences the already critical aerothermal conditions at turbine entry, where the absence of dilution holes preserves the swirl component generated by burners and prevents any control on pattern factor. The associated uncertainty and lack of confidence entail the application of wide safety margins in turbine cooling design, with a detrimental effect on engine efficiency. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can provide a deeper understanding of the physical phenomena involved in combustor–turbine interaction, especially with hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) large eddy simulation (LES) models, such as scale adaptive simulation (SAS), which are proving to overcome the well-known limitations of the RANS approach and be a viable approach to capture the complex flow physics. This paper describes the numerical investigation on a test rig representative of a lean-burn, effusion cooled, annular combustor developed in the EU Project Full Aerothermal Combustor-Turbine interactiOns Research (FACTOR) with the aim of studying combustor–turbine interaction. Results obtained with RANS and SAS were critically compared to experimental data and analyzed to better understand the flow physics, as well as to assess the improvements related to the use of hybrid RANS-LES models. Significant discrepancies are highlighted for RANS in predicting the recirculating region, which has slight influence on the velocity field at the combustor outlet, but affects dramatically mixing and the resulting temperature distribution. The accuracy of the results achieved suggests the exploitation of SAS model with a view to the future inclusion of the nozzle guide vanes in the test rig.

Hybrid RANS-LES Modeling of the Aero-Thermal Field in an Annular Hot Streak Generator for the Study of Combustor-Turbine Interaction

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Andreini ◽  
T. Bacci ◽  
M. Insinna ◽  
L. Mazzei ◽  
S. Salvadori
Keyword(s):  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Turbine Cooling ◽  
Safety Margins ◽  
Viable Approach ◽  
Sas Model ◽  
Aero Engines ◽  
Eu Project ◽  
Nozzle Guide

Turbine entry conditions are characterized by unsteady and strongly non-uniform velocity, temperature and pressure fields. The uncertainty and the lack of confidence associated with these conditions require the application of wide safety margins during the design of the turbine cooling systems, with a detrimental effect on engine efficiency. The adoption of lean-burn technology in modern aero-engines to reduce NOx emissions exacerbates the situation, as the absence of dilution holes keeps the strong swirl component generated by the burners up to the combustor outlet and prevents to control the pattern factor. Complexity and costs associated with the experimental investigation of combustor-turbine interaction, makes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) paramount to understand the physical phenomena involved. Moreover, due to the well-known limitations of the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approach and the increase in computational resources, hybrid RANS-LES models, such as Scale Adaptive Simulation (SAS), are proving to be a viable approach to capture the main structures of the flow field. This paper reports the main findings of the numerical investigation on a test rig representative of a lean-burn, effusion cooled, annular combustor, developed in the context of the EU Project FACTOR (Full Aerothermal Combustor-Turbine interactiOns Research) with the aim of studying combustor-turbine interaction. Results obtained with RANS and unsteady SAS were critically compared to experimental data and analysed in order to better understand the flow physics within such a device, as well as to assess the improvements related to the use of hybrid models. The main discrepancies between RANS and SAS are highlighted in predicting the recirculating region, which has slight influence on the velocity field at the combustor outlet, but affects dramatically mixing and the resulting temperature distribution. Accuracy of the results achieved suggest a possible exploitation of SAS model with a view to the future inclusion of the nozzle guide vanes within the test rig.

Flow Field and Hot Streak Migration Through a High Pressure Cooled Vanes With Representative Lean Burn Combustor Outflow

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommaso Bacci ◽  
Tommaso Lenzi ◽  
Alessio Picchi ◽  
Lorenzo Mazzei ◽  
Bruno Facchini
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
High Pressure ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Fuel Injection ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Flame Stabilization ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Aero Engine ◽  
University Of Florence ◽  
Hot Streak

Modern lean burn aero-engine combustors make use of relevant swirl degrees for flame stabilization. Moreover, important temperature distortions are generated, in tangential and radial directions, due to discrete fuel injection and liner cooling flows respectively. At the same time, more efficient devices are employed for liner cooling and a less intense mixing with the mainstream occurs. As a result, aggressive swirl fields, high turbulence intensities, and strong hot streaks are achieved at the turbine inlet. In order to understand combustor-turbine flow field interactions, it is mandatory to collect reliable experimental data at representative flow conditions. While the separated effects of temperature, swirl, and turbulence on the first turbine stage have been widely investigated, reduced experimental data is available when it comes to consider all these factors together.In this perspective, an annular three-sector combustor simulator with fully cooled high pressure vanes has been designed and installed at the THT Lab of University of Florence. The test rig is equipped with three axial swirlers, effusion cooled liners, and six film cooled high pressure vanes passages, for a vortex-to-vane count ratio of 1:2. The relative clocking position between swirlers and vanes has been chosen in order to have the leading edge of the central NGV aligned with the central swirler. In order to generate representative conditions, a heated mainstream passes though the axial swirlers of the combustor simulator, while the effusion cooled liners are fed by air at ambient temperature. The resulting flow field exiting from the combustor simulator and approaching the cooled vane can be considered representative of a modern Lean Burn aero engine combustor with swirl angles above ±50 deg, turbulence intensities up to about 28% and maximum-to-minimum temperature ratio of about 1.25. With the final aim of investigating the hot streaks evolution through the cooled high pressure vane, the mean aerothermal field (temperature, pressure, and velocity fields) has been evaluated by means of a five-hole probe equipped with a thermocouple and traversed upstream and downstream of the NGV cascade.

Assessment of RANS Against LES for the Aero-Thermal Behavior of High Pressure Turbine Stages Under Realistic Inlet Conditions

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Vagnoli ◽  
Tom Verstraete ◽  
Charlie Koupper ◽  
Guillaume Bonneau
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Thermal Behavior ◽  
Turbulence Modeling ◽  
Engine Performance ◽  
High Pressure Turbine ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Field Development ◽  
Safety Margins ◽  
Inlet Conditions ◽  
Hot Streak

Modern Lean Burn combustors generate a complex field at the High Pressure turbine (HPT) inlet, characterized by non-uniform velocity and temperature distributions, together with very high turbulence levels (up to 25%). For these extreme conditions, classical numerical methods employed for the HPT design, such as Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) simulation, suffer from a lack of validation. This leads to a reduced confidence in predicting the combustor-turbine interactions, which requires to use extra safety margins, to the detriment of the overall engine performance. Within the European FACTOR project, a 360° non reactive combustor simulator and a 1.5 HPT stage are designed to get more insight into the mutual interaction of these two components. A first experimental and numerical campaign has demonstrated the potential of Large Eddy Simulations (LES) to accurately reproduce the turbulent flow field development at the combustor outlet. The aim of the present paper is to exploit the accuracy of LES to validate less time-consuming RANS models in predicting the hot streak migration in the turbine stage. In this sense, LES results are used as a reference to discriminate the different RANS simulations in terms of turbulence modeling and aerothermal predictions. The current investigations clearly indicate that turbulence and hot streak diffusion within the HPT are strongly linked. In this sense, the choice of the RANS turbulence model and the inlet turbulent conditions plays a major role in modeling the thermal behavior for the stator and rotor blades.

Experimental and Numerical Calculation of Turbulent Timescales at the Exit of an Engine Representative Combustor Simulator

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlie Koupper ◽  
Tommaso Bacci ◽  
Bruno Facchini ◽  
Alessio Picchi ◽  
Lorenzo Tarchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Time Signal ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Integral Scale ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
High Reynolds ◽  
University Of Florence ◽  
Hot Streak

To deepen the knowledge of the interaction between modern lean burn combustors and high pressure turbines, a non-reactive real scale annular trisector Combustor Simulator (CS) has been assembled at University of Florence, with the goal of investigating and characterizing the combustor aerothermal field as well as the hot streak transport towards the high pressure vanes. To generate hot streaks and simulate lean burn combustor behaviors, the rig is equipped with axial swirlers fed by a main air flow stream that is heated up to 531 K, while liners with effusion cooling holes are fed by air at ambient temperature. Detailed experimental investigations are then performed with the aim of characterizing the turbulence quantities at the exit of the combustion module, and specifically evaluating an integral scale of turbulence. To do so, an automatic traverse system is mounted at the exit of the CS and equipped to perform Hot Wire Anemometry (HWA) measurements. In this paper, two-point correlations are computed from the time signal of the axial velocity giving access to an evaluation of the turbulence timescales at each measurement point. For assessment of the advanced numerical method that is Large Eddy Simulation (LES), the same methodology is applied to a LES prediction of the CS. Although comparisons seem relevant and easily accessible, both approaches and contexts have fundamental differences: mostly in terms of duration of the signals acquired experimentally and numerically but also with potentially different acquisition frequencies. In the exercise that aims at comparing high-order statistics and diagnostics, the specificity of comparing experimental and numerical results is comprehensively discussed. Attention is given to the importance of the acquisition frequency, intrinsic bias of having a short duration signal and influence of the investigating windows. For an adequate evaluation of the turbulent time scales, it is found that comparing experiments and numerics for high Reynolds number flows inferring small-scale phenomena requires to obey a set of rules, otherwise important errors can be made. If adequately processed, LES and HWA are found to agree well indicating the potential of LES for such problems.

Hybrid RANS-LES Modeling of a Hot Streak Generator Oriented to the Study of Combustor-Turbine Interaction

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Andreini ◽  
B. Facchini ◽  
M. Insinna ◽  
L. Mazzei ◽  
S. Salvadori
Keyword(s):  
Lean Burn ◽  
Turbine Cooling ◽  
Safety Margins ◽  
Annular Combustor ◽  
Viable Approach ◽  
Compact Design ◽  
Eu Project ◽  
Hot Streak ◽  
Physical Phenomena ◽  
The Impact

Turbine entry conditions are characterized by unsteady and strongly non-uniform velocity and temperature and pressure fields. The uncertainty and the lack of confidence associated to these conditions require the application of wide safety margins during the design of the turbine cooling systems, which are detrimental for the efficiency of the engine. These issues have been further complicated by the adoption of lean-burn technology in modern aeroengines, identified by many manufacturers as the most promising solution for a significant reduction of NOx emission. Such devices are in fact characterized by a very compact design, whereas the strong swirl component generated by the injector is maintained up to the end of the flametube due to the absence of dilution holes, which in conventional combustors provides the required pattern factor. Bearing in mind complexity and costs associated to the experimental investigation of combustor-turbine interaction, CFD has become a key and complementary tool to understand the physical phenomena involved. Due to the well-known limitations of the RANS approach and the increase in computational resources, hybrid RANS-LES models, such as Scale Adaptive Simulation (SAS), are proving to be a viable approach to resolve the main structures of the flow field. This paper reports the main findings of the numerical investigation of a hot streak generator for the study of combustor-turbine interaction. The results were compared to experimental data obtained from a test rig representative of a lean-burn, effusion cooled, annular combustor, developed in the context of the EU project FACTOR. Steady RANS and unsteady SAS runs were carried out in order to assess the improvements related to hybrid models. Additional simulations were performed to investigate the effect of the periodicity assumption and the impact of liner cooling modelling on the exit conditions.

Flow Field and Hot Streak Migration Through High Pressure Cooled Vanes With Representative Lean Burn Combustor Outflow

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Bacci ◽  
T. Lenzi ◽  
A. Picchi ◽  
L. Mazzei ◽  
B. Facchini
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
High Pressure ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Fuel Injection ◽  
Leading Edge ◽  
Flame Stabilization ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Aero Engine ◽  
University Of Florence ◽  
Hot Streak

Modern lean burn aero-engine combustors make use of relevant swirl degrees for flame stabilization. Moreover important temperature distortions are generated, in tangential and radial directions, due to discrete fuel injection and liner cooling flows respectively. At the same time, more efficient devices are employed for liner cooling and a less intense mixing with the mainstream occurs. As a result, aggressive swirl fields, high turbulence intensities and strong hot streaks are achieved at the turbine inlet. In order to understand combustor-turbine flow field interactions, it is mandatory to collect reliable experimental data at representative flow conditions. While the separated effects of temperature, swirl and turbulence on the first turbine stage have been widely investigated, reduced experimental data is available when it comes to consider all these factors together. In this perspective, an annular three-sector combustor simulator with fully cooled high pressure vanes has been designed and installed at the THT Lab of University of Florence. The test rig is equipped with three axial swirlers, effusion cooled liners and six film cooled high pressure vanes passages, for a vortex-to-vane count ratio of 1:2. The relative clocking position between swirlers and vanes has been chosen in order to have the leading edge of the central NGV aligned with the central swirler. In order to generate representative conditions, a heated mainstream passes though the axial swirlers of the combustor simulator, while the effusion cooled liners are fed by air at ambient temperature. The resulting flow field exiting from the combustor simulator and approaching the cooled vane can be considered representative of a modern Lean Burn aero engine combustor with swirl angles above ±50°, turbulence intensities up to about 28% and maximum-to-minimum temperature ratio of about 1.25. With the final aim of investigating the hot streaks evolution through the cooled high pressure vane, the mean aerothermal field (temperature, pressure and velocity fields) has been evaluated by means of a five hole probe equipped with a thermocouple and traversed upstream and downstream of the NGV cascade.

Experimental and Numerical Calculation of Turbulent Timescales at the Exit of an Engine Representative Combustor Simulator

2015 ◽  
Vol 138 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlie Koupper ◽  
Laurent Gicquel ◽  
Florent Duchaine ◽  
Tommaso Bacci ◽  
Bruno Facchini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Time Signal ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Lean Burn ◽  
Integral Scale ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
High Reynolds ◽  
University Of Florence ◽  
Hot Streak ◽  
High Order Statistics

To deepen the knowledge of the interaction between modern lean burn combustors and high pressure (HP) turbines, a nonreactive real scale annular trisector combustor simulator (CS) has been assembled at University of Florence (UNIFI), with the goal of investigating and characterizing the combustor aerothermal field as well as the hot streak transport toward the HP vanes. To generate hot streaks and simulate lean burn combustor behaviors, the rig is equipped with axial swirlers fed by a main air flow stream that is heated up to 531 K, while liners with effusion cooling holes are fed by air at ambient temperature. Detailed experimental investigations are then performed with the aim of characterizing the turbulence quantities at the exit of the combustion module, and specifically evaluating an integral scale of turbulence. To do so, an automatic traverse system is mounted at the exit of the CS and equipped to perform hot wire anemometry (HWA) measurements. In this paper, two-point correlations are computed from the time signal of the axial velocity giving access to an evaluation of the turbulence timescales at each measurement point. For assessment of the advanced numerical method that is large Eddy simulation (LES), the same methodology is applied to a LES prediction of the CS. Although comparisons seem relevant and easily accessible, both approaches and contexts have fundamental differences: mostly in terms of duration of the signals acquired experimentally and numerically but also with potentially different acquisition frequencies. In the exercise that aims at comparing high-order statistics and diagnostics, the specificity of comparing experimental and numerical results is comprehensively discussed. Attention is given to the importance of the acquisition frequency, intrinsic bias of having a short duration signal and influence of the investigating windows. For an adequate evaluation of the turbulent time scales, it is found that comparing experiments and numerics for high Reynolds number flows inferring small-scale phenomena requires to obey a set of rules, otherwise important errors can be made. If adequately processed, LES and HWA are found to agree well indicating the potential of LES for such problems.

scholarly journals Numerical simulation and experimental validation of cavitating flow in a multi-hole diesel fuel injector

2021 ◽  
pp. 146808742199863
Author(s):  
Aishvarya Kumar ◽  
Ali Ghobadian ◽  
Jamshid Nouri
Keyword(s):  
Computational Cost ◽  
Cavitating Flow ◽  
Field Analysis ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Fluid Behavior ◽  
Flow Field Analysis ◽  
Charged Couple Device ◽  
Biodiesel Fuels ◽  
High Level

This study assesses the predictive capability of the ZGB (Zwart-Gerber-Belamri) cavitation model with the RANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes), the realizable k-epsilon turbulence model, and compressibility of gas/liquid models for cavitation simulation in a multi-hole fuel injector at different cavitation numbers (CN) for diesel and biodiesel fuels. The prediction results were assessed quantitatively by comparison of predicted velocity profiles with those of measured LDV (Laser Doppler Velocimetry) data. Subsequently, predictions were assessed qualitatively by visual comparison of the predicted void fraction with experimental CCD (Charged Couple Device) recorded images. Both comparisons showed that the model could predict fluid behavior in such a condition with a high level of confidence. Additionally, flow field analysis of numerical results showed the formation of vortices in the injector sac volume. The analysis showed two main types of vortex structures formed. The first kind appeared connecting two adjacent holes and is known as “hole-to-hole” connecting vortices. The second type structure appeared as double “counter-rotating” vortices emerging from the needle wall and entering the injector hole facing it. The use of RANS proved to save significant computational cost and time in predicting the cavitating flow with good accuracy.

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