Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis of Hydrodynamic Stability in a Gas Turbine Fuel Injector

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Outi Tammisola ◽  
Matthew P. Juniper
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Local Stability ◽  
Recirculation Zone ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instability

Hydrodynamic oscillations in gas turbine fuel injectors help to mix the fuel and air but can also contribute to thermoacoustic instability. Small changes to some parts of a fuel injector greatly affect the frequency and amplitude of these oscillations. These regions can be identified efficiently with adjoint-based sensitivity analysis. This is a linear technique that identifies the region of the flow that causes the oscillation, the regions of the flow that are most sensitive to external forcing, and the regions of the flow that, when altered, have most influence on the oscillation. In this paper, we extend this to the flow from a gas turbine’s single stream radial swirler, which has been extensively studied experimentally (GT2008-50278) [8]. The swirling annular flow enters the combustion chamber and expands to the chamber walls, forming a conical recirculation zone along the centreline and an annular recirculation zone in the upstream corner. In this study, the steady base flow and the stability analysis are calculated at Re 200–3800 based on the mean flow velocity and inlet diameter. The velocity field is similar to that found from experiments and LES, and the local stability results are close to those at higher Re (GT2012-68253) [11]. All the analyses (experiments, LES, uRANS, local stability, and the global stability in this paper) show that a helical motion develops around the central recirculation zone. This develops into a precessing vortex core. The adjoint-based sensitivity analysis reveals that the frequency and growth rate of the oscillation is dictated by conditions just upstream of the central recirculation zone (the wavemaker region). It also reveals that this oscillation is very receptive to forcing at the sharp edges of the injector. In practical situations, this forcing could arise from an impinging acoustic wave, showing that these edges could be influential in the feedback mechanism that causes thermoacoustic instability. The analysis also shows how the growth rate and frequency of the oscillation change with either small shape changes of the nozzle, or additional suction or blowing at the walls of the injector. It reveals that the oscillations originate in a very localized region at the entry to the combustion chamber, which lies near the separation point at the outer inlet, and extends to the outlet of the inner pipe. Any scheme designed to control the frequency and amplitude of the oscillation only needs to change the flow in this localized region.

scholarly journals Adjoint-based parametric sensitivity analysis for swirling M-flames

2018 ◽  
Vol 859 ◽  
pp. 516-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Calum S. Skene ◽  
Peter J. Schmid
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Frequency Response ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Perturbation Expansions ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Adjoint Solutions

A linear numerical study is conducted to quantify the effect of swirl on the response behaviour of premixed lean flames to general harmonic excitation in the inlet, upstream of combustion. This study considers axisymmetric M-flames and is based on the linearised compressible Navier–Stokes equations augmented by a simple one-step irreversible chemical reaction. Optimal frequency response gains for both axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric perturbations are computed via a direct–adjoint methodology and singular value decompositions. The high-dimensional parameter space, containing perturbation and base-flow parameters, is explored by taking advantage of generic sensitivity information gained from the adjoint solutions. This information is then tailored to specific parametric sensitivities by first-order perturbation expansions of the singular triplets about the respective parameters. Valuable flow information, at a negligible computational cost, is gained by simple weighted scalar products between direct and adjoint solutions. We find that for non-swirling flows, a mode with azimuthal wavenumber $m=2$ is the most efficiently driven structure. The structural mechanism underlying the optimal gains is shown to be the Orr mechanism for $m=0$ and a blend of Orr and other mechanisms, such as lift-up, for other azimuthal wavenumbers. Further to this, velocity and pressure perturbations are shown to make up the optimal input and output showing that the thermoacoustic mechanism is crucial in large energy amplifications. For $m=0$ these velocity perturbations are mainly longitudinal, but for higher wavenumbers azimuthal velocity fluctuations become prominent, especially in the non-swirling case. Sensitivity analyses are carried out with respect to the Mach number, Reynolds number and swirl number, and the accuracy of parametric gradients of the frequency response curve is assessed. The sensitivity analysis reveals that increases in Reynolds and Mach numbers yield higher gains, through a decrease in temperature diffusion. A rise in mean-flow swirl is shown to diminish the gain, with increased damping for higher azimuthal wavenumbers. This leads to a reordering of the most effectively amplified mode, with the axisymmetric ($m=0$) mode becoming the dominant structure at moderate swirl numbers.

scholarly journals Stability and Limit Cycles of a Nonlinear Damper Acting on a Linearly Unstable Thermoacoustic Mode

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Bourquard ◽  
Nicolas Noiray
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Limit Cycle ◽  
Nonlinear Effects ◽  
Coupled System ◽  
High Amplitude ◽  
Van Der Pol Oscillator ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instability ◽  
Numerical Predictions

The resonant coupling between flames and acoustics is a growing issue for gas turbine manufacturers, which can be reduced by adding acoustic dampers on the combustion chamber walls. Nonetheless, if the engine is operated out of the stable window, the damper is exposed to high-amplitude acoustic levels, which trigger unwanted nonlinear effects. This work provides an overview of the dynamics of this coupled system using a simple analytical model, where a perfectly tuned damper is coupled to the combustion chamber. The damper, crossed by a purge flow in order to prevent hot gas ingestion, is modeled as a nonlinearly damped harmonic oscillator. The combustion chamber featuring a linearly unstable thermoacoustic mode is modeled as a Van der Pol oscillator. Analyzing the averaged amplitude equations gives the limit cycle amplitudes as function of the growth rate of the unstable mode and the mean velocity through the damper neck. Experiments are also performed on a simple rectangular cavity, where the thermoacoustic instability is mimicked by an electro-acoustic instability. A feedback loop is built, through which the growth rate of the instability can be controlled. A Helmholtz damper is added to the cavity and tuned to the mode of interest. The stabilization capabilities of the damper and the amplitude of the limit cycle in the unstable cases are in good agreement between the experiments and the analytical and numerical predictions, underlining the potentially dangerous behavior of the system, which should be taken into account for real engine cases.

Study of Flame Stability in a Step Swirl Combustor

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Durbin ◽  
M. D. Vangsness ◽  
D. R. Ballal ◽  
V. R. Katta
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Recirculation Zone ◽  
Swirling Flow ◽  
Tangential Velocity ◽  
Combustion Stability ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustor ◽  
Swirl Combustor ◽  
Radial Profiles

A prime requirement in the design of a modern gas turbine combustor is good combustion stability, especially near lean blowout (LBO), to ensure an adequate stability margin. For an aeroengine, combustor blow-off limits are encountered during low engine speeds at high altitudes over a range of flight Mach numbers. For an industrial combustor, requirements of ultralow NOx emissions coupled with high combustion efficiency demand operation at or close to LBO. In this investigation, a step swirl combustor (SSC) was designed to reproduce the swirling flow pattern present in the vicinity of the fuel injector located in the primary zone of a gas turbine combustor. Different flame shapes, structure, and location were observed and detailed experimental measurements and numerical computations were performed. It was found that certain combinations of outer and inner swirling air flows produce multiple attached flames, aflame with a single attached structure just above the fuel injection tube, and finally for higher inner swirl velocity, the flame lifts from the fuel tube and is stabilized by the inner recirculation zone. The observed difference in LBO between co- and counterswirl configurations is primarily a function of how the flame stabilizes, i.e., attached versus lifted. A turbulent combustion model correctly predicts the attached flame location(s), development of inner recirculation zone, a dimple-shaped flame structure, the flame lift-off height, and radial profiles of mean temperature, axial velocity, and tangential velocity at different axial locations. Finally, the significance and applications of anchored and lifted flames to combustor stability and LBO in practical gas turbine combustors are discussed.

Investigation of Flame Stabilization in a High-Pressure Multi-Jet Combustor by Laser Measurement Techniques

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Lammel ◽  
Tim Rödiger ◽  
Michael Stöhr ◽  
Holger Ax ◽  
Peter Kutne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Recirculation Zone ◽  
Flame Stabilization ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Single Shot ◽  
Optical Access

In this contribution, comprehensive optical and laser based measurements in a generic multi-jet combustor at gas turbine relevant conditions are presented. The flame position and shape, flow field, temperatures and species concentrations of turbulent premixed natural gas and hydrogen flames were investigated in a high-pressure test rig with optical access. The needs of modern highly efficient gas turbine combustion systems, i.e., fuel flexibility, load flexibility with increased part load capability, and high turbine inlet temperatures, have to be addressed by novel or improved burner concepts. One promising design is the enhanced FLOX® burner, which can achieve low pollutant emissions in a very wide range of operating conditions. In principle, this kind of gas turbine combustor consists of several nozzles without swirl, which discharge axial high momentum jets through orifices arranged on a circle. The geometry provides a pronounced inner recirculation zone in the combustion chamber. Flame stabilization takes place in a shear layer around the jet flow, where fresh gas is mixed with hot exhaust gas. Flashback resistance is obtained through the absence of low velocity zones, which favors this concept for multi-fuel applications, e.g. fuels with medium to high hydrogen content. The understanding of flame stabilization mechanisms of jet flames for different fuels is the key to identify and control the main parameters in the design process of combustors based on an enhanced FLOX® burner concept. Both experimental analysis and numerical simulations can contribute and complement each other in this task. They need a detailed and relevant data base, with well-known boundary conditions. For this purpose, a high-pressure burner assembly was designed with a generic 3-nozzle combustor in a rectangular combustion chamber with optical access. The nozzles are linearly arranged in z direction to allow for jet-jet interaction of the middle jet. This line is off-centered in y direction to develop a distinct recirculation zone. This arrangement approximates a sector of a full FLOX® gas turbine burner. The experiments were conducted at a pressure of 8 bar with preheated and premixed natural gas/air and hydrogen/air flows and jet velocities of 120 m/s. For the visualization of the flame, OH* chemiluminescence imaging was performed. 1D laser Raman scattering was applied and evaluated on an average and single shot basis in order to simultaneously and quantitatively determine the major species concentrations, the mixture fraction and the temperature. Flow velocities were measured using particle image velocimetry at different section planes through the combustion chamber.

Mixing Field Analysis of a Gas Turbine Burner

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Flohr ◽  
Patrick Schmitt ◽  
Christian Oliver Paschereit
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Recirculation Zone ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Turbulence Models ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Field Analysis ◽  
Mixing Process ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Air Mixing ◽  
Gas Turbine Burner

An analytical and numerical study has been carried out with the view on the understanding of the physical mechanisms of the mixing process in a gas turbine burner. To this end, three methods at various levels of approximation have been used: At the simplest level an analytical model of the burner flow and the mixing process has been developed. It is demonstrated how this approach can be used to understand basic issues of the fuel-air mixing and how it can be applied as a design tool which guides the optimisation of a fuel injector device. At an intermediate level of approximation, steady-state CFD simulations, based on the k–ε- and RSM-turbulence models are used to describe the mixing process. All steady simulations fail to either predict the recirculation zone or the turbulence level correctly, and can therefore not be expected to capture the mixing correctly. At the most involved level of modelling time-accurate CFD based on unsteady RSM and LES-turbulence models are performed. The simulations show good agreement with experiments (and in the case of LES excellent agreement) for both, velocity and turbulence fields. Mixing predictions close to the fuel injectors suffer from a simplification used in the numerical setup, but the mixing field is predicted very well towards the exit of the burner. The contribution of the asymmetric coherent flow structure (which is associated with the internal recirculation zone) to the mixing process is quantified through a triple decomposition technique.

Predicting Flashback Limits of a Gas Turbine Model Combustor Based on Velocity and Fuel Concentration for H2-Air-Mixtures

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Utschick ◽  
Daniel Eiringhaus ◽  
Christian Köhler ◽  
Thomas Sattelmayer
Keyword(s):  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Fuel Concentration ◽  
Turbine Model

This study investigates the influence of the fuel injection strategy on safety against flashback in a gas turbine model combustor with premixing of H2-air-mixtures. The flashback propensity is quantified and the flashback mechanism is identified experimentally. The A2EV swirler concept exhibits a hollow, thick walled conical structure with four tangential slots. Four fuel injector geometries were tested. One of them injects the fuel orthogonal to the air flow in the slots (jet-in-crossflow-injector, JICI). Three injector types introduce the fuel almost isokinetic to the air flow at the trailing edge of the swirler slots (trailing edge injector, TEI). Velocity and mixing fields in mixing zone and combustion chamber in isothermal water flow were measured with High-speed-Particle-Image-Velocimetry (PIV) and Highspeed-Laser-Induced-Fluorescence (LIF). The flashback limit was determined under atmospheric pressure for three air mass flows and 673 K preheat temperature for H2-air-mixtures. Flashback mechanism and trajectory of the flame tip during flashback were identified with two stereoscopically oriented intensified high-speed cameras observing the OH* radiation. We notice flashback in the core flow due to Combustion Induced Vortex Breakdown (CIVB) and Turbulent upstream Flame Propagation (TFP) near the wall dependent on the injector type. The Flashback Resistance (FBR) defined as the ratio between a characteristic flow speed and a characteristic flame speed measures the direction of propagation of a turbulent flame in the flow field. Although CIVB cannot be predicted solely based on the FBR, its distribution gives evidence for CIVB-prone states. The fuel should be injected preferably isokinetic to the air flow along the entire trailing edge in oder to reduce the RMS fluctuation of velocity and fuel concentration. The characteristic velocity in the entire cross section of the combustion chamber inlet should be at least twice the characteristic flame speed. The position of the stagnation point should be tuned to be located in the combustion chamber by adjusting the axial momentum. Those measures lead to safe operation with highly reactive fuels at high equivalence ratios.

Study of Flame Stability in a Step Swirl Combustor

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Durbin ◽  
Marlin D. Vangsness ◽  
Dilip R. Ballal ◽  
Viswanath R. Katta
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Recirculation Zone ◽  
Swirling Flow ◽  
Tangential Velocity ◽  
Combustion Stability ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustor ◽  
Swirl Combustor ◽  
Radial Profiles

A prime requirement in the design of a modem gas turbine combustor is good combustion stability, especially near lean blowout (LBO), to ensure an adequate stability margin. For an aeroengine, combustor blow-off limits are encountered during low engine speeds at high altitudes over a range of flight Mach numbers. For an industrial combustor, requirements of ultra-low NOx emissions coupled with high combustion efficiency demand operation at or close to LBO. In this investigation, a step swirl combustor (SSC) was designed to reproduce the swirling flow pattern present in the vicinity of the fuel injector located in the primary zone of a gas turbine combustor. Different flame shapes, structure and location were observed and detailed experimental measurements and numerical computations were performed. It was found that certain combinations of outer and inner swirling air flows produce multiple attached flames, a flame with a single attached structure just above the fuel injection tube, and finally for higher inner swirl velocity, the flame lifts from the fuel tube and is stabilized by the inner recirculation zone. The observed difference in LBO between co- and counter-swirl configurations is primarily a function of how the flame stabilizes i.e., attached vs. lifted. A turbulent combustion model correctly predicts the attached flame location(s), development of inner recirculation zone, a dimple-shaped flame structure, the flame lift-off height, and radial profiles of mean temperature, axial velocity, and tangential velocity at different axial locations. Finally, the significance and applications of anchored and lifted flames to combustor stability and LBO in practical gas turbine combustors are discussed.

scholarly journals Stability and Limit Cycles of a Nonlinear Damper Acting on a Linearly Unstable Thermoacoustic Mode

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Bourquard ◽  
Nicolas Noiray
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Limit Cycles ◽  
Feedback Loop ◽  
Unstable Mode ◽  
Rectangular Cavity ◽  
Van Der Pol Oscillator ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instability ◽  
Numerical Predictions

The resonant coupling between flames and acoustics is a growing issue for gas turbine manufacturers. They can be reduced by adding acoustic dampers on the combustion chamber walls. Nonetheless, if the engine is operated out of the stable window, the damper may be exposed to high-amplitude acoustic levels, which may trigger unwanted nonlinear effects. This work aims at providing an overview of the dynamics associated with those limit cycles using a simple analytical model, where a perfectly tuned damper is coupled to the combustion chamber. The damper, crossed by a purge flow in order to prevent hot gas ingestion, is modeled as a non-linearly damped harmonic oscillator, with vortex shedding as the main dissipation mechanism. The combustion chamber featuring a linearly unstable thermoacoustic mode is modelled as a Van der Pol oscillator. The fixed points of the coupled system and their stability can be determined by analyzing the averaged amplitude equations. This allows the computation of a fixed point topology map as function of the growth rate of the unstable mode and the mean velocity through the damper neck. Simulink simulations are also performed and compared to the analytical predictions. Finally, experiments are performed on a simple rectangular cavity, where the thermoacoustic instability resulting from the interaction between heat release and acoustic pressure is mimicked by an electro-acoustic instability. A feedback loop is built, where the signal from a microphone is filtered, delayed, and amplified before being sent to a loudspeaker placed inside the rectangular cavity. The delay and gain of the feedback loop can be modified to change the growth rate of the instability. One Helmholtz damper can be added to the cavity and tuned to the unstable mode of interest. The growth rate reduction capabilities of the damper and the amplitude of the limit cycle in the unstable cases are in good agreement with the analytical and numerical predictions, underlining the potentially dangerous behavior of the limit cycles which should be taken into account for real engine cases.

Predicting Flashback Limits of a Gas Turbine Model Combustor Based on Velocity and Fuel Concentration for H2–Air Mixtures

2016 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Utschick ◽  
Daniel Eiringhaus ◽  
Christian Köhler ◽  
Thomas Sattelmayer
Keyword(s):  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Turbulent Flame ◽  
Flame Speed ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Fuel Concentration ◽  
Turbine Model

This study investigates the influence of the fuel injection strategy on safety against flashback in a gas turbine model combustor with premixing of H2–air mixtures. The flashback propensity is quantified and the flashback mechanism is identified experimentally. The A2EV swirler concept exhibits a hollow, thick-walled conical structure with four tangential slots. Four fuel injector geometries were tested. One of them injects the fuel orthogonal to the air flow in the slots (jet-in-crossflow injector (JICI)). Three injector types introduce the fuel almost isokinetic to the air flow at the trailing edge of the swirler slots (trailing edge injector (TEI)). Velocity and mixing fields in mixing zone and combustion chamber in isothermal water flow were measured with high-speed particle image velocimetry (PIV) and high-speed laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The flashback limit was determined under atmospheric pressure for three air mass flows and 673 K preheat temperature for H2–air mixtures. Flashback mechanism and trajectory of the flame tip during flashback were identified with two stereoscopically oriented intensified high-speed cameras observing the OH* radiation. We notice flashback in the core flow due to combustion-induced vortex breakdown (CIVB) and turbulent flame propagation (TFP) near the wall dependent on the injector type. The flashback resistance (FBR) defined as the ratio between a characteristic flow speed and a characteristic flame speed measures the direction of propagation of a turbulent flame in the flow field. Although CIVB cannot be predicted solely based on the FBR, its distribution gives evidence for CIVB-prone states. The fuel should be injected preferably isokinetic to the air flow along the entire trailing edge in order to reduce the RMS fluctuation of velocity and fuel concentration. The characteristic velocity in the entire cross section of the combustion chamber inlet should be at least twice the characteristic flame speed. The position of the stagnation point should be tuned to be located in the combustion chamber by adjusting the axial momentum. Those measures lead to safe operation with highly reactive fuels at high equivalence ratios.

Study of a Gas Turbine Combustion Chamber: Influence of the Mixing on the Flame Dynamics

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Duwig ◽  
Laszlo Fuchs
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Flamelet Model ◽  
Demand Growth ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Flame Dynamics ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustion

The new challenge of the Gas Turbine industry is to develop new technologies for meeting electricity demand growth and reducing harmful emissions. Thus a better understanding of the combustion phenomenon and an improvement in simulation capabilities are needed. Large Eddy Simulation tools brought the hope of meeting these two conditions and enabling the design of safe and clean burners. In the present paper, the influence of the unsteady mixing on the flame in a Lean Premixed Pre-vaporized combustor have been investigated. A premixed combustion flamelet model has been extended to non-uniform fuel/air mixtures cases. Extra terms in the equations, their effects and the modeling issues are discussed. Additionally, the effects of mixing on the flow field in an industrial gas turbine combustion chamber have been investigated. The mean flow field has been found to be weakly sensitive to the mixing effects. It is deduced that the modeling of the mixing and the combustion can be decoupled in the RANS framework. Regarding the flame dynamics, all runs show similar characteristic frequencies. However, different details of models lead to differences in the temperature fluctuations. This suggests that a rigorous modeling of the thermo-acoustic sources (e.g. heat-release fluctuations) requires accurate modeling of the mixing/combustion coupling, for handling accurately the dynamics of the flame.

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