CFD Simulation of Humid Air Premixed Flame Combustion Chamber for Evaporative Gas Turbine Cycles

Author(s):  
M. Bianco ◽  
S. M. Camporeale ◽  
B. Fortunato

Evaporative cycles, such as Recuperated Water lnjected (RWI) cycle, Humid Air Turbine (HAT) cycle, Cascaded Humidified Advanced Turbine (CHAT) offer the attractive possibility to increase plant efficiency without the use of a steam turbine, necessary for gas-steam combined cycles, appearing, therefore, as an interesting solution for industrial power applications such as electric utilities and independent power producers. It is expected that water addition may contribute to reduce NOx emissions in premixed flame combustors. In order to analyse this solution, a lean-bum combustor, fed with an homogeneous mixture formed by methane and humid air, has been analysed through CFD simulations, in order to predict velocity field, temperatures and emissions. The study has been carried out under the hypothesis of a two-dimensional, axisymmetric combustion chamber assuming, as set of operation conditions, atmospheric pressure, inlet temperature of 650 K, fuel-air equivalence ratio of the methane-air mixture ranging from 0.5 to 0.7 and water-air mass ratio varying from 0% to 5%. In the simulation, the presence of turbulence in the flow has been taken into account using a RNG k-ε model, whilst the chemical behaviour of the system has been described by means of a five-step global reduced mechanism including the oxidation mechanism and the NOx formation mechanism. The analysis of the results shows that the moisture in the premixed flow reduces both NOx and CO emissions at constant equivalence ratio; moreover the lean blow-out limit is shifted toward higher equivalence ratio. The main effect of the water seems to be the increase of the specific heat the mixture which causes a reduction in flame temperature, slowing the chemical reactions responsible of NOx formation. The reasonable agreement has been found between the simulation results concerning NOx emissions and recent experimental results carried out on premixed flamed with humid air. A discussion is also provided about the adopted turbulence models and their influence on the emission results.

2013 ◽  
Vol 781-784 ◽  
pp. 2471-2475 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. M. Masum ◽  
M.A. Kalam ◽  
H.H. Masjuki ◽  
S. M. Palash

Active research and development on using ethanol fuel in gasoline engine had been done for few decades since ethanol served as a potential of infinite fuel supply. This paper discussed analytically and provides data on the effects of compression ratio, equivalence ratio, inlet temperature, inlet pressure and ethanol blend in cylinder adiabatic flame temperature (AFT) and nitrogen oxide (NO) formation of a gasoline engine. Olikara and Borman routines were used to calculate the equilibrium products of combustion for ethanol gasoline blended fuel. The equilibrium values of each species were used to predict AFT and the NO formation of combustion chamber. The result shows that both adiabatic flame temperature and NO formation are lower for ethanol-gasoline blend than gasoline fuel.


Author(s):  
Jon P. McDonald ◽  
Arthur M. Mellor

Semi–empirical characteristic time models (CTMs) for NOx emissions index (EI) and lean blowoff are used in the design of an inlet condition matrix for measurement of NOxEI from a lean premixed combustor. Such models relate either NOxEI or the weak extinction limit to times representing relevant physical and chemical processes in the combustor. Lean premixed (LP) natural gas/air combustion is considered for the following conditions: inlet temperature, 300–800 K; combustor pressure, 1–30 atm; and equivalence ratio, 0.5–0.7. The NOx model is used to determine combinations of inlet conditions corresponding to greatest NOx sensitivity. A dependence of NOx emissions on pressure is included in the model. Emissions of oxides of nitrogen are found to he most sensitive to variations in inlet temperature and combustor pressure, in the 560–800 K and 20–30 atm ranges, respectively, while sensitivity to variations in equivalence ratio is substantial over the entire range considered. Thus it is found that operating conditions for high thermal efficiency in LP turbine combustors conflict with the goal of lowering NOx emissions, a result consistent with thermal NOx from conventional, diffusion flame combustors. A lean blowoff model is used to estimate the lowest equivalence ratio at which a flame can he held, as well as to determine whether a flame can be stabilised at the operating conditions suggested by the NOx sensitivity analysis. The results suggest a nominal lower limit on equivalence ratio of 0.4, and that a flame can be held for most of the combinations of inlet conditions suggested by the NOx sensitivity analysis. Autoignition of the fuel/air mixture is also considered in relation to the location and/or design of the premixing system. The current NOx CTM is applied to LP natural gas fired data from the literature. A model modification, thought to better represent the fluid mechanics relevant to LP NOx formation, is applied, and its implications discussed.


Author(s):  
Adel Mansour ◽  
Michael A. Benjamin

Single injector, high pressure, rig evaluation of the prototype Parker macrolaminate dual fuel premixer (previously tested at NETL, see Mansour et al., 2001) [1] with pressure swirl macrolaminate atomizers was conducted under simulated engine operating conditions running on No. 2 diesel fuel (DF2). Emissions, oscillations and lean blowout (LBO) performance on liquid fuel at high, part and no load operating points (pressures of 160, 100, 120 psig, and inlet temperatures of 690, 570, 590°F, respectively) and various pressure drops (ΔP/P) and air fuel ratio conditions were investigated. The results indicate that the Parker premixer design has the potential to reduce the DF2 NOX emission to below 15 ppmv, 15% O2. At simulated high load conditions with a nominal flame temperature (TPZ) of 2700°F, the NOX and CO emissions are approximately 10 and 2.5 ppmv at 15% O2, respectively. These results compare extremely favorable to existing commercially available premixer technologies tested under similar rig operating conditions. More importantly, the NOX yield for the Parker Macrolaminate premixer appears to be independent of operating conditions (from high to no load and various pressure drop conditions). Variations in combustor pressure, inlet temperature (T2) and residence time (τ) or pressure drop (ΔP/P) does not seem to have an effect on the formation of NOX. According to Leonard and Stegmaier (1993) [2], insensitivity of NOX formation to operating conditions is a good indication of high degree of premixing. Additionally, the premixer NOX data is only 1 to 2 ppmv higher than the jet stirred reactor (JSR) results (ran at T2 = 661°F, PCD = 14.7 psi and TPZ = 2762°F with similar DF2) of Lee et al., 2001 [3], further confirming the quality of premixing achieved. Combustion driven oscillations was not investigated by tuning the rig so that oscillations would not be a factor.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 168781401771138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eunhye Song ◽  
Juhun Song

The turbo-pump and turbine are driven by liquid fuel fed into a gas generator, where the fuel is oxidized with a liquid oxidizing agent. For stable operation of the turbine, the combustion temperature of the gas generator must be maintained below 1000 K. The thermodynamic characteristics of kerosene oxidation in the gas generator must be understood to optimize the design and operation conditions of the liquid-fueled rocket engine system. Herein, the 3-species surrogate mixture model for kerosene was selected, and the detailed Dagaut’s kerosene oxidation mechanism consisting of 225 chemical species and 1800 reversible chemical reactions was utilized. The exit gas temperature and product gas composition in the gas generator under fuel-rich conditions were simulated by applying the perfectly stirred reactor model. The perfectly stirred reactor model was used in combination with the liquid spray model for evaporation of the droplets and the two-temperature model for evaluation of the flame temperature separately from the locally averaged reactor temperature. The theoretical prediction of the gas species fraction and soot yield could be improved by applying the tar cracking mechanism, where the reaction characteristics under high temperature were taken into account.


Author(s):  
Kam-Kei Lam ◽  
Philipp Geipel ◽  
Jenny Larfeldt

In order to further extend the turbine fuel flex capability, a test under atmospheric conditions of a full-scale SGT-400 burner was performed to study the combustion behavior when operating on hydrogen enriched natural gas. A high speed camera was installed in the rig to investigate the flame dynamics on different operation conditions. NOx emissions were measured for all presented conditions. The combustion system was instrumented with thermocouples on all the key locations to allow flame position monitoring and to avoid flame attachment on the hardware. Further measurements included static pressure probes to monitor combustor pressure drop. The test was conducted in a systematic matrix format to include the most important combustion parameters in order to identify their individual effects on the combustion behaviors. The quantity of hydrogen in natural gas, fuel split, air preheat temperature, air reference velocity and flame temperature were the combustion related variables studied in the presented test campaign. The volumetric hydrogen quantity could be increased to 30% maintaining stable operation for all measured conditions. Higher hydrogen contents up to 80 vol-% were reached without flash back tendency. A glowing spark igniter prevented testing at even higher hydrogen contents. Hydrogen enriched gas showed higher NOx emissions and improved blowout limit. Hydrogen blending in the fuel also reduced the combustor pressure drop, lowered the prechamber temperature and raised the pilot tip temperature.


Author(s):  
Weijie Liu ◽  
Bing Ge ◽  
Yinshen Tian ◽  
Yongwen Yuan ◽  
Shusheng Zang ◽  
...  

This paper presents large-eddy simulations (LES) and laser diagnostic experiments of low-swirl lean premixed methane/air flames in a multi-nozzle combustor including five nozzles with the same structure. OH Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) is used to observe flame shapes and identify main reaction zones. NOx and CO emissions are also recorded during the experiment. The flows and flames are studied at different equivalence ratios ranging from 0.5 to 0.8, while the inlet velocity is fixed at 6.2 m/s. Results show that the neighboring swirling flows interact with each other, generating a highly turbulent mixing zone where intensive reactions take place. The flame is stabilized above the nozzle rim and its liftoff height decreases with increasing equivalence ratio. The center flow is confined and distorted by the neighboring flows, resulting in instabilities of the center flame. Mean OH radical images reveals that the center nozzle flame is extinguished when equivalence ratio is equals to 0.5, which is successfully predicted by LES. In addition, NOx emissions show log-linear dependency on the adiabatic flame temperature, while the CO emissions remain lower than 10 ppm. NOx emissions for multi-nozzle flame are less sensitive to the flame temperature than that for single nozzle. These results demonstrate that the low-swirl multi-nozzle concept is a promising solution to achieve stable combustion with ultra-low emissions in gas turbines.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simeon Dybe ◽  
Felix Güthe ◽  
Michael Bartlett ◽  
Panagiotis Stathopoulos ◽  
Christian Oliver Paschereit

Abstract Modified humid power cycles provide the necessary boundary condition for combustion to operate on a wide fuel spectrum in a steam-rich atmosphere comprising hydrogen and syngas from gasification besides natural gas as fuels. Thus, these cycles with their high efficiency and flexibility fit in a carbon-free energy market dominated by renewable electricity generation, providing dispatchable heat and electric power. To realize their full potential, the combustor utilized in such power cycles must fulfill the emission limits as well as demands of stable combustion over a wide range of fuel and steam ratios. The operation is limited by the risk of lean blowout for highly diluted syngas with low reactivity, and flashback for highly reactive hydrogen. Further, the gasification product gas can contain unwanted pollutants such as tars and nitrogen containing species like ammonia (NH3). Tars carry a considerable portion of the feedstock’s energy but are associated with detrimental operational behavior. The presence of ammonia in the combustion increases the risk of high NOx-emission at already small ammonia concentrations in the fuel. In this work, humid hydrogen flames are analyzed for their stability and emissions. Stable hydrogen flames were produced over a wide equivalence ratio and steam ratio range at negligible NOx-emissions. Further, natural gas, and a fuel blend substituting bio-syngas, was doped with ammonia. The combustion is analyzed with a focus on emissions and flame position and stability. The addition of ammonia causes high NOx-formation from fuel bound nitrogen (FBN), which highly increases NOx-emissions. The latter decrease with increasing NH3 content and increasing equivalence ratio.


Author(s):  
Géza Vermes

Based on a simplified description of the combustion process in the primary zone of a can type gas turbine combustor, a generalized NOx versus fuel flow relationship is proposed. Using this relationship and considerations based on chemical kinetics, the effect of combustor inlet pressure, inlet temperature and air residence time on NOx formation is investigated in industrial and automotive type combustion chambers. Data reported in the literature and original test work is cited to substantiate the validity of the assumptions. Based on the findings, a simple method is presented to predict NOx emissions of a gas turbine combustor under conditions which differ substantially from those of the test run. The assumptions may be used to assemble a model for a priori prediction of NOx emissions in a given combustion geometry.


Author(s):  
Denise Ahrens ◽  
Michael Kolb ◽  
Christoph Hirsch ◽  
Thomas Sattelmayer

Axial staging in premixed gas turbine combustors is a promising option for the increase of firing temperature without NOx-penalty and for the improvement of turndown ratio, which is limited by the onset of CO-emissions. The configuration of greatest interest is the combination of state of the art premixed combustion in the primary stage with secondary injectors near the turbine inlet, which feed additional jets of premixed combustible mixture into the hot cross flow. Regarding NOx this configuration is particularly beneficial (1) if the overall mixing quality in the first stage is limited, (2) if the difference between primary zone flame temperature and turbine inlet temperature due to air addition along the combustor is large and (3) if a high degree of mixing in the second stage is achieved. The potential of this promising combustion concept was investigated in a large scale atmospheric test rig. For the study presented below scaling of the second stage according to Karlovitz number similarity was chosen. This leads to smaller jet diameters and higher injection velocities compared to scaling based on Damköhler number applied in an earlier study. The impact of the higher velocities at the injector outlet on the flow field, on the lift-off height of the flame and on NOx-formation is analyzed. A chemical network model is presented, which illustrates the effects of pre-flame and post-flame mixing on NOx-formation under atmospheric and high pressure conditions. In addition this model is used to study the interactions of chemistry with mixing between the reacting jet and cross flow. On the basis of atmospheric testing and reactor modeling, predictions for engine pressure are made assuming similar lift-off as well as pre- and post-flame mixing. These results are further analyzed regarding the NOx-reduction potential at different equivalence ratios and residence times. Finally, it is discussed under which conditions the investigated configuration can be beneficially applied to reduce NOx-emissions of real engines.


Author(s):  
Charles Lhuillier ◽  
Romain Oddos ◽  
Lisa Zander ◽  
Finn Lückoff ◽  
Katharina Göckeler ◽  
...  

Hydrogen utilization in conventional power plants can offer a possibility to cover the residual load of volatile renewable energies while at the same time reducing the carbon footprint of power production. The challenge here is the high reactivity of hydrogen posing a risk of flashback, whereas increased flame temperature may result in higher NOx emissions. A promising approach to overcome this challenges is the dilution of combustion mixtures by exhaust gas recirculation or by steam injection. The present paper provides experimental laminar burning velocities of hydrogen-enriched methane/air mixtures diluted with major components of exhaust gas and with steam. The corresponding numerical study based on a fictive species approach is used to quantify the chemical and physical effects of dilution on laminar burning velocities. The influence of hydrogen-enrichment and dilution on NOx formation is studied numerically. The results demonstrate high potential of dilution with steam or exhaust gas to ensure stable operation even for hydrogen-rich mixtures while maintaining low NOx emissions.


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