Flow Field and Wall Temperature Measurements for Reacting Flow in a Lean Premixed Swirl Stabilized Can Combustor

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhyeon Park ◽  
David Gomez-Ramirez ◽  
Siddhartha Gadiraju ◽  
Sandeep Kedukodi ◽  
Srinath V. Ekkad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Swirling Flow ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustor ◽  
Lean Premixed

In this study, we provide detailed wall heat flux measurements and flow details for reacting flow conditions in a model combustor. Heat transfer measurements inside a gas turbine combustor provide one of the most serious challenges for gas turbine researchers. Gas turbine combustor improvements require accurate measurement and prediction of reacting flows. Flow and heat transfer measurements inside combustors under reacting flow conditions remain a challenge. The mechanisms of thermal energy transfer must be investigated by studying the flow characteristics and associated heat load. This paper experimentally investigates the effects of combustor operating conditions on the reacting flow in an optical single can combustor. The swirling flow was generated by an industrial lean premixed, axial swirl fuel nozzle. Planar particle image velocimetry (PIV) data were analyzed to understand the characteristics of the flow field. Liner surface temperatures were measured in reacting condition with an infrared camera for a single case. Experiments were conducted at Reynolds numbers ranging between 50,000 and 110,000 (with respect to the nozzle diameter, DN); equivalence ratios between 0.55 and 0.78; and pilot fuel split ratios of 0 to 6%. Characterizing the impingement location on the liner, and the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) distribution were a fundamental part of the investigation. Self-similar characteristics were observed at different reacting conditions. Swirling exit flow from the nozzle was found to be unaffected by the operating conditions with little effect on the liner. Comparison between reacting and nonreacting flows (NR) yielded very interesting and striking differences.

A NOx Prediction Scheme for Lean-Premixed Gas Turbine Combustion Based on Detailed Chemical Kinetics

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (4) ◽  
pp. 765-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Polifke ◽  
K. Do¨bbeling ◽  
T. Sattelmayer ◽  
D. G. Nicol ◽  
P. C. Malte
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Concentration Field ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Chemical Mechanism ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Oxides Of Nitrogen ◽  
Detailed Chemical Kinetics ◽  
Nox Formation ◽  
Lean Premixed

The lean-premixed technique has proven very efficient in reducing the emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from gas turbine combustors. The numerical prediction of NOx levels in such combustors with multidimensional CFD codes has only met with limited success so far. This is to some extent due to the complexity of the NOx formation chemistry in lean-premixed combustion, i.e., all three known NOx formation routes (Zeldovich, nitrous, and prompt) can contribute significantly. Furthermore, NOx formation occurs almost exclusively in the flame zone, where radical concentrations significantly above equilibrium values are observed. A relatively large chemical mechanism is therefore required to predict radical concentrations and NOx formation rates under such conditions. These difficulties have prompted the development of a NOx postprocessing scheme, where rate and concentration information necessary to predict NOx formation is taken from one-dimensional combustion models with detailed chemistry and provided—via look-up tables—to the multidimensional CFD code. The look-up tables are prepared beforehand in accordance with the operating conditions and are based on CO concentrations, which are indicative of free radical chemistry. Once the reacting flow field has been computed with the main CFD code, the chemical source terms of the NO transport equation, i.e., local NO formation rates, are determined from the reacting flow field and the tabulated chemical data. Then the main code is turned on again to compute the NO concentration field. This NOx submodel has no adjustable parameters and converges very quickly. Good agreement with experiment has been observed and interesting conclusions concerning superequilibrium O-atom concentrations and fluctuations of temperature could be drawn.

Effect of Downstream Contraction on Liner Heat Transfer in a Gas Turbine Combustor Swirl Flow

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Kedukodi ◽  
Srinath Ekkad
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Swirl Flow ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Flow Profile ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustor ◽  
Inlet Flow ◽  
Flow Simulations ◽  
Accelerated Flow

Established numerical approaches for performing detailed flow analysis happens to be an effective tool for industry based applied research. In the present study, computations are performed on multiple gas turbine combustor geometries for turbulent, non-reactive and reactive swirling flow conditions for an industrial swirler. The purpose of this study is to identify the location of peak convective heat transfer along the combustor liner under swirling inlet flow conditions and to investigate the influence of combustor geometry on the flow field. Instead of modeling the actual swirler along with the combustor, an inlet swirl flow profile is applied at the inlet boundary based on previous literature. Initially, the computed results are validated against available experimental data for an inlet Reynolds number flow of 50000 using a 2D axi-symmetric flow domain for non-reacting conditions. A constant heat flux on the liner is applied for the study. Two turbulence models (RNG k-ε and k-ω SST) are utilized for the analysis based on its capability to simulate swirling flows. It is found that both models predict the peak liner heat transfer location similar to experiments. However, k-ε RNG model predicts heat transfer magnitude much closer to the experimental values except displaying an additional peak whereas k-ω model predicts only one peak but tends to over-predict in magnitude. Since the overall characteristic liner heat transfer trend is captured well by the latter one, it is chosen for future computations. A 3D sector (30°) model results also show similar trends as 2D studies. Simulations are then extended to 3 different combustors (Case 1: full cylinder and Case 2 and 3: cylinders with downstream contractions having reduced exit areas) by adopting the same methodology for same inlet flow conditions. Non-reacting simulations predict that the peak heat transfer location is marginally reduced by the downstream contraction of the combustor. However the peak location shifts towards downstream due to the presence of accelerated flow. Reacting flow simulations are performed with Flamelet Generation Manifold (FGM) model for simulating premixed combustion for the same inlet flow conditions as above. It is observed that Case 3 predicts a threefold increase in the exit flow velocity in comparison to non-reacting flow simulations. The liner heat transfer predictions show that both geometries predict similar peak temperatures. However, only one fourth of the initial liner length experiences peak temperature for Case 1 whereas the latter continues to feel the peak till the end. This behavior of Case 3 can be attributed to rapid convection of high temperature products downstream due to the prevailing accelerated flow.

Flow Field and Wall Temperature Measurements for Reacting Flow in a Lean Premixed Swirl Stabilized Can Combustor

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhyeon Park ◽  
David Gomez-Ramirez ◽  
Siddhartha Gadiraju ◽  
Sandeep Kedukodi ◽  
Srinath Ekkad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Convective Heat Transfer ◽  
Convective Heat ◽  
Wall Temperature ◽  
Heat Load ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Lean Premixed ◽  
Combustor Liner

Designing gas turbine combustors requires accurate measurement and prediction of the violent, high-temperature environment in reacting flow. One important factor in combustor design is the heat load on the inner surface of the combustor liner during combustion. To properly analyze the heat load, the mechanisms of thermal energy transfer must be investigated. Of these, the convective heat transfer has not been fully characterized, representing an important challenge in the field of combustor research. The flow field is closely related to the combustion dynamics from the swirling flame in modern burners, and has a direct impact on the convective heat transfer. Most of the flow field measurements reported in the literature have relied on custom research nozzles. However, the development of modern low emission, lean-premixed combustors requires experimental results from realistic industrial fuel nozzles. This paper experimentally investigates the effects of combustor operating conditions on the reacting flow in an optical single can combustor. The swirling flow was generated by an industrial lean pre-mixed, axial swirl fuel nozzle manufactured by Solar Turbines Incorporated. Planar particle image velocimetry (PIV) data were acquired and analyzed to understand the characteristics of the flow field. Experiments were conducted at Reynolds numbers ranging between 50000 and 110000 (with respect to the nozzle diameter, DN); equivalence ratios between 0.55 and 0.78; and pilot fuel split ratios of 0 to 6%. Characterizing the impingement location on the liner, and the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) distribution were a fundamental part of the investigation. Self-similar characteristics were observed at reacting conditions. Jet impingement locations on the liner were at x ≈ 1.16 DN for seven different reacting cases, and it was observed that the impingement location was not significantly affected by the combustion parameters studied. However, non-reacting flow was significantly different in flame structure and impingement locations. Combustor liner wall temperature distributions were measured in reacting condition with an infrared camera for a single case. The temperature profile was explained qualitatively with the flow features measured with PIV. Peak wall temperature close to impingement location on the liner wall reached about 900 K, and peak heat flux was measured as ≈ 23 kW/m2 at x ≈ 2.3 DN.

scholarly journals A NOx Prediction Scheme for Lean-Premixed Gas Turbine Combustion Based on Detailed Chemical Kinetics

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Polifke ◽  
Klaus Döbbeling ◽  
Thomas Sattelmayer ◽  
David G. Nicol ◽  
Philip C. Malte
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Concentration Field ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Chemical Mechanism ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Oxides Of Nitrogen ◽  
Nox Formation ◽  
Processing Scheme ◽  
Lean Premixed

The lean-premixed technique has proven very efficient in reducing the emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from gas turbine combustors. The numerical prediction of NOx-levels in such combustors with multidimensional CFD codes has only met with limited success so far. This is at least to some extent due to the complexity of the NOx formation chemistry in lean-premixed combustion, i.e. all three known NOx formation routes (Zeldovich, nitrous and prompt) can contribute significantly. Furthermore, NOx formation occurs almost exclusively in the flame zone, where radical concentrations significantly above equilibrium values are observed. A relatively large chemical mechanism is therefore required to predict radical concentrations and NOx formation rates under such conditions. These difficulties have prompted the development of a NOx post-processing scheme, where rate and concentration information necessary to predict NOx formation is taken from one-dimensional combustion models with detailed chemistry and provided — via look-up tables — to the multi-dimensional CFD code. The look-up tables are prepared beforehand in accordance with the operating conditions and are based on CO concentrations, which are indicative of free radical chemistry. Once the reacting flow field has been computed with the main CFD code, the chemical source terms of the NO transport equation, i.e. local NO formation rates, are determined from the reacting flow field and the tabulated chemical data. Then the main code is turned on again to compute the NO concentration field. This NOx sub-model has no adjustable parameters and converges very quickly. Good agreement with experiment has been observed and interesting conclusions concerning superequilibrium O-atom concentrations and fluctuations of temperature could be drawn.

Gas Turbine Combustor Rig Development and Initial Observations at Cold and Reacting Flow Conditions

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Gomez-Ramirez ◽  
Sandeep Kedukodi ◽  
Siddhartha Gadiraju ◽  
Srinath V. Ekkad ◽  
Hee-Koo Moon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustor ◽  
Inlet Conditions

The present paper describes the first phase of the design and development of a realistic, high-pressure, full-scale research gas turbine combustor at Virginia Tech. The final test rig will be capable of operating at inlet temperatures of 650 K, pressures up to 9.28 Bar (120 psig), maximum air inlet flow rates of 1.27 kg/s (2.8 lbm/s), and allow for variations in the geometry of the combustor model. The first phase consists of a low-pressure (atmospheric) optical combustor for heat transfer and flow-field measurements at isothermal and reacting conditions. The combustor model is equipped with an industrial low emission fuel injector from Solar Turbines Incorporated, used in their land based gas turbine Taurus-60. The primary objective of the developed rig is to provide additional insight into the heat transfer processes that occur within gas turbine combustors, primarily the convective component, which has not been characterized. A future phase of the test rig development will incorporate a pressure vessel that will allow for the operation of the combustor simulator at higher pressures. In the present publication, the design methodology and considerations, as well as the challenges encountered during the design of the first phase of the simulator are briefly discussed. An overview is given on the design of the instrumentation and process piping surrounding the test rig, including ASME codes followed as well as the instrumentation and equipment selected. A detailed description of the test section design is given, highlighting the design for high temperature operation. As an example of the capabilities of the rig, representative measurements are presented. Characterization of the isothermal flow field using planar Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) at a Reynolds number of 50 000 was performed and compared with flame imaging data at the same inlet conditions operating at an equivalence ratio of 0.7. The data suggests that the flame location follows the maximum turbulent kinetic energy as measured in the isothermal field. Representative data from the computational efforts are also presented and compared with the experimental measurements. Future work will expand on both reacting and isothermal PIV and heat transfer measurements, as well as computational validations.

Characterisation of the Instantaneous Velocity and Mixture Field Issuing From a Lean Premixed Module (LPM)

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Carrotte ◽  
C. Batchelor-Wylam
Keyword(s):  
Velocity Field ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Swirling Flow ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Gaseous Fuel ◽  
Constant Current ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Lean Premixed ◽  
Velocity Spectra ◽  
The Individual

Measurements have been made on the non-reacting flow field issuing from a Lean Premixed module (LPM) that incorporates a radial swirler, mixing duct section and nozzle. The geometry contains many features that are thought typical of LPM systems in which gaseous fuel is introduced into a swirling flow at a discrete number of locations. Hot wire anemometry measurements have been used to define the velocity field issuing from the module whilst additional experiments have utilised heated air to simulate gaseous fuel. In this way temperature measurements, using Constant Current Anemometry, have been used to infer the fuel-air mixture field issuing from the module. The velocity data indicates a highly turbulent flow field and the basic spectral characteristics of this velocity field are defined. In addition, within certain regions a strong periodic flow component is observed and is indicative of the instabilities typically associated with swirling flows. The spectral characteristics of the mixture field are also presented and the method by which the mixture and velocity spectra should be compared is outlined. Using this method the measurements indicate the basic spectral characteristics are virtually identical and, furthermore, a periodic fluctuation in the mixture field is also observed. For these types of LPM systems fluctuations in the mixture and velocity fields are therefore strongly correlated. In addition it is shown that the flow fields are dominated by the relatively large time and length scales associated with the main velocity field rather than, say, the much smaller velocity and mixing scales associated with the individual fuel jets.

scholarly journals Assessment of Combustor Working Environments

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leiyong Jiang ◽  
Andrew Corber
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustor ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Turbine Engine ◽  
Working Environments ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
The Cost

In order to assess the remaining life of gas turbine critical components, it is vital to accurately define the aerothermodynamic working environments and service histories. As a part of a major multidisciplinary collaboration program, a benchmark modeling on a practical gas turbine combustor is successfully carried out, and the two-phase, steady, turbulent, compressible, reacting flow fields at both cruise and takeoff are obtained. The results show the complicated flow features inside the combustor. The airflow over each flow element of the combustor can or liner is not evenly distributed, and considerable variations, ±25%, around the average values, are observed. It is more important to note that the temperatures at the combustor can and cooling wiggle strips vary significantly, which can significantly affect fatigue life of engine critical components. The present study suggests that to develop an adequate aerothermodynamics tool, it is necessary to carry out a further systematic study, including validation of numerical results, simulations at typical engine operating conditions, and development of simple correlations between engine operating conditions and component working environments. As an ultimate goal, the cost and time of gas turbine engine fleet management must be significantly reduced.

Prediction Model of NOx for Gas Turbine Combustor With Diffusion and Lean Premixed Flames

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fukuo Maeda ◽  
Yasunori Iwai
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Combustion Zone ◽  
Diffusion Flames ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Prediction Method ◽  
Computation Time ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Lean Premixed Combustion ◽  
Lean Premixed

In order to predict the NOx concentration etc., it is necessary to carry out 3-D reacting flow analysis in the combustion zone. However, regardless of improved numerical scheme, and physics-based modeling of flow phenomena and combustion reaction, these techniques not yet reached to a level to be applied to practical combustor problem, because of vast computation time and consequently high computation costs, etc. To improve NOx characterization of new Dry Low NOx Combustor (DLNC) and optimum fuel scheduling for DLNC operations, a NOx prediction method to be applicable for practical combustor problems needs to be developed. In this paper has been proposed a simple semi-empirical model for predicting DLNC NOx emissions that formed from lean premixed combustion flames and diffusion flames. This model comprised of experimental coefficients for adjusting or incorporating effects of practical combustion liner configurations and effects of flow conditions in combustion zone, etc. Also, the present model is applied to newly designed and redesigned DLNC for estimating NOx emission levels and its variation with gas turbine operating conditions, which are compared with the experimental data of full pressure combustion with Natural Gas (NG) fuel.

Flow-Field and Conjugate Heat Transfer of an Internally Air-Cooled Nozzle Guide Vane and Shrouds

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leiyong Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Conjugate Heat Transfer ◽  
Guide Vane ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Pressure Side ◽  
Cooling Flow ◽  
Nozzle Guide Vane ◽  
Nozzle Guide

In order to assess the life of gas turbine critical components, it is essential to adequately specify their aero-thermodynamic working environments. Steady-state analyses of the flow field and conjugate heat transfer of an internally air-cooled nozzle guide vane (NGV) and shrouds of a gas turbine engine at the baseline operating conditions are numerically investigated. A high-fidelity CFD model is generated and the simulations are carried out with properly defined boundary conditions. The features of the complicated flow and temperature fields are revealed. In general, the Mach number is lower and the temperature is higher on the NGV pressure side than those on the suction side. There are two high temperature spots on the pressure side, and the temperature across the NGV middle section is relatively low. These findings are closely related to the locations of the holes and outlets of the cooling flow passage, and consistent with the field observation of damaged NGVs. The obtained results provide essential information for the structural, material and life analyses of the NGV/shrouds assembly, and improvement of the cooling flow arrangement.

An Experimental Study on the Coupling of Combustion Instability Mechanisms in a Lean Premixed Gas Turbine Combustor

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyung Ju Lee ◽  
Kyu Tae Kim ◽  
Jong Guen Lee ◽  
Bryan D. Quay ◽  
Domenic A. Santavicca
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Equivalence Ratio ◽  
Acoustic Pressure ◽  
Fuel Injection ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustor ◽  
Lean Premixed ◽  
Injection Location

An experimental study was conducted to characterize the combined effects of flame-vortex interactions and equivalence ratio fluctuations on self-excited combustion instabilities in a swirl-stabilized lean premixed gas turbine combustor. The combustor was designed so that the fuel injector location and the combustion chamber length could be independently varied. In addition, the fuel and air could be mixed upstream of the choked inlet to the combustor, thereby eliminating the possibility of equivalence ratio fluctuations. Experiments were performed over a broad range of operating conditions and at each condition both the combustor length and the fuel injection location were varied. Dynamic pressure in the combustor, acoustic pressure and velocity in the mixing section, and the overall rate of heat release were simultaneously measured at all operating conditions. Two distinct instability regimes were observed; one near 220 Hz and the other near 345 Hz. It was also found that the strength of the instability changed significantly as the fuel injection location was varied, while the phase of the acoustic pressure and velocity fluctuations in the mixing section did not change. A time series of pressure and CH* chemiluminescence signals confirmed constructive or destructive coupling of the two instability mechanisms; the flame-vortex interaction and the equivalence ratio fluctuation interact each other and determine the instability characteristics in partially premixed conditions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document