scholarly journals Flame and Spray Dynamics During the Light-Round Process in an Annular System Equipped With Multiple Swirl Spray Injectors

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Prieur ◽  
Daniel Durox ◽  
Guillaume Vignat ◽  
Thierry Schuller ◽  
Sébastien Candel
Keyword(s):  
Flame Front ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Laser Sheet ◽  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Flame Structure ◽  
Frame Rate ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
Liquid Droplets ◽  
Spray Flames ◽  
Annular Combustor

The ignition process of an annular combustor can be divided in several steps that end with the light-round. This corresponds to the sequence from the ignition of the first injector to the merging of the two flame fronts spreading in the annular system. The present article focuses on this important step, where two arch-like flame branches propagate in the chamber. These two turbulent travelling flames, nearly perpendicular to the combustor backplane, successively ignite the injection units and finally collide head-on and merge. In the present study, light-round of spray flames fed by liquid n-heptane is investigated. A high-speed camera operating at a frame rate of 6000 Hz and equipped with a filter centered on CH* emission is positioned on the side of the annular combustor, at the chamber backplane level and records images of one half of the chamber annulus. Acoustic pressure fluctuations are recorded through waveguide microphones plugged on the chamber backplane and microphones flush mounted in the annular plenum. The behavior of one injector ignited by the passing flame front is examined. One finds that the swirling flame structure formed by each injection unit evolves in time and that the anchoring location changes just after the passage of the travelling flame and during a period of a few milliseconds. This behavior can eventually lead to a flashback of the flame in the injector with possible severe damages. This dynamical phenomenon is described in detail. The propagation of the arch-like flame branch is then investigated. Flame images are used to determine the direction and velocity of the flame front by making use of a PIV like processing. One may distinguish two regions for the flame propagation. One is near the backplane, moving in a purely azimuthal direction, while the other corresponds to the remaining flame motion in the azimuthal and axial directions due to the volumetric expansion of the burnt gases. Filtered light images give some indications on the complex flame structures and on the typical length scales characterizing the moving front. Information is also obtained on the dynamics of the spray by shining a continuous laser sheet passing through one injector central axis and recording the light scattered by the n-heptane spray of droplets. These images are used to determine the influence of the incoming flame front on the evaporating n-heptane liquid droplets. A major result is that the flame modifies the spray much before its leading point reaches the injector unit and that its passage through the spray drastically changes the local droplet concentration and thus the local mixture composition.

Simulation of the Ignition Process in an Annular Multiple-Injector Combustor and Comparison With Experiments

2014 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Philip ◽  
Matthieu Boileau ◽  
Ronan Vicquelin ◽  
Thomas Schmitt ◽  
Daniel Durox ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Burning Velocity ◽  
Flame Structure ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
High Speed Imaging ◽  
Flamelet Model ◽  
Swirl Injectors ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Annular Combustor

Ignition is a problem of fundamental interest with critical practical implications. While there are many studies of ignition of single injector configurations, the transient ignition of a full annular combustor has not been extensively investigated, mainly because of the added geometrical complexity. The present investigation combines simulations and experiments on a complete annular combustor. The setup, developed at EMC2 (Energétique Moléculaire et Macroscopique Combustion) Laboratory (Mesa, AZ), features sixteen swirl injectors and quartz walls allowing direct visualization of the flame. High speed imaging is used to record the space time flame structure and study the dynamics of the light-round process. On the numerical side, massively parallel computations are carried out in the large eddy simulation (LES) framework using the filtered tabulated (F-TACLES) flamelet model. Comparisons are carried out at different instants during the light-round process between experimental data and results of calculations. It is found that the simulation results are in remarkable agreement with experiments provided that the thermal effects at the walls are considered. Further analysis indicate that the flame burning velocity and flame front geometry are close to those found in the experiment. This investigation confirms that the LES framework used for these calculations and the selected combustion model are adequate for such calculations but that further work is needed to show that ignition prediction can be used reliably over a range of operating parameters.

scholarly journals Large Eddy Simulation of Light-Round in an Annular Combustor With Liquid Spray Injection and Comparison With Experiments

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Théa Lancien ◽  
Kevin Prieur ◽  
Daniel Durox ◽  
Sébastien Candel ◽  
Ronan Vicquelin
Keyword(s):  
Large Eddy Simulation ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Flame Structure ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Annular Combustor ◽  
Intensified Charge Coupled Device ◽  
Aero Engines

The light-round is defined as the process by which the flame initiated by an ignition spark propagates from burner to burner in an annular combustor, eventually leading to a stable combustion. Combining experiments and numerical simulation, it was recently demonstrated that under perfectly premixed conditions, this process could be suitably described by large eddy simulation (LES) using massively parallel computations. The present investigation aims at developing light-round simulations in a configuration that is closer to that found in aero-engines by considering liquid n-heptane injection. The LES of the ignition sequence of a laboratory scale annular combustion chamber comprising sixteen swirled spray injectors is carried out with a monodisperse Eulerian approach for the description of the liquid phase. The objective is to assess this modeling approach of the two-phase reactive flow during the ignition process. The simulation results are compared in terms of flame structure and light-round duration to the corresponding experimental images of the flame front recorded by a high-speed intensified charge-coupled device camera and to the corresponding experimental delays. The dynamics of the flow is also analyzed to identify and characterize mechanisms controlling flame propagation during the light-round process.

Simulation of the Ignition Process in an Annular Multiple-Injector Combustor and Comparison With Experiments

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Philip ◽  
Matthieu Boileau ◽  
Ronan Vicquelin ◽  
Thomas Schmitt ◽  
Daniel Durox ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Burning Velocity ◽  
Flame Structure ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
High Speed Imaging ◽  
Flamelet Model ◽  
Swirl Injectors ◽  
Geometrical Complexity ◽  
Annular Combustor

Ignition is a problem of fundamental interest with critical practical implications. While there are many studies of ignition of single injector configurations, the transient ignition of a full annular combustor has not been extensively investigated, mainly because of the added geometrical complexity. The present investigation combines simulations and experiments on a complete annular combustor. The setup, developed at EM2C laboratory, features sixteen swirl injectors and quartz walls allowing direct visualization of the flame. High speed imaging is used to record the space time flame structure and study the dynamics of the light-round process. On the numerical side, massively parallel computations are carried out in the LES framework using the Filtered Tabulated (F-TACLES) flamelet model. Comparisons are carried out at different instants during the light-round process between experimental data and results of calculations. It is found that the simulation results are in remarkable agreement with experiments provided that the thermal effects at the walls are considered. Further post-processings indicate that the flame burning velocity and flame front geometry are close to those found in the experiment. This analysis confirms that the LES framework used for these calculations and the selected combustion model are adequate for such calculations but that further work is needed to confirm that ignition prediction can be used reliably over a range of operating parameters.

scholarly journals Flame and Spray Dynamics During the Light-Round Process in an Annular System Equipped With Multiple Swirl Spray Injectors

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Prieur ◽  
Guillaume Vignat ◽  
Daniel Durox ◽  
Thierry Schuller ◽  
Sébastien Candel
Keyword(s):  
Flame Front ◽  
Flame Structure ◽  
Axial Direction ◽  
Azimuthal Direction ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Fuel Droplets ◽  
Spray Flames ◽  
Annular Combustor ◽  
Swirling Flame ◽  
Injection Unit

A successful ignition in an annular multi-injector combustor follows a sequence of steps. The first injector is ignited; two arch-shaped flame branches nearly perpendicular to the combustor backplane form; they propagate, igniting each injection unit; they merge. In this paper, characterization of the propagation phase is performed in an annular combustor with spray flames fed with liquid n-hepane. The velocity and the direction of the arch-like flame branch are investigated. Near the backplane, the flame is moving in a purely azimuthal direction. Higher up in the chamber, it is also moving in the axial direction due to the volumetric expansion of the burnt gases. Time-resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements are used to investigate the evaporating fuel droplets dynamics. A new result is that, during the light-round, the incoming flame front pushes the fuel droplets in the azimuthal direction well before its leading point. This leads to a decrease in the local droplet concentration and local mixture composition over not yet lit injectors. For the first time, the behavior of an individual injector ignited by the passing flame front is examined. The swirling flame structure formed by each injection unit evolves in time. From the ignition of an individual injector to the stabilization of its flame in its final shape, approximately 50 ms elapse. After the passage of the traveling flame, the newly ignited flame flashbacks into the injector during a few milliseconds, for example, 5 ms for the conditions that are tested. This could be detrimental to the service life of the unit. Then, the flame exits from the injection unit, and its external branch detaches under the action of cooled burnt gases in the outer recirculation zone (ORZ).

Observation on Solid Propellant Ignition Using High Speed Camera: The Effect of Hot Wire Position on the Combustion Flame Contour

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan Khairuddin Wan Ali ◽  
Ang Kiang Long ◽  
Mohammad Nazri Mohd. Jaafar
Keyword(s):  
Solid Propellant ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Flame Structure ◽  
Combustion Process ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
High Speed Camera ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Composite Propellant ◽  
Burning Behavior ◽  
Insight Into

This paper reports on the discovery of unique flame structure of a composite propellant sample under hot wire ignition. The entire combustion process at atmospheric pressure condition was recorded using a high speed camera. Three hot wire orientations were chosen in this experiment for examining their effects on the propellant burning behavior. The results show that the wire orientations are crucial in propellant combustion process, as different flame patterns were observed when the hot wire orientation was altered. This paper provides an important insight into this specific ignition process that can be useful for researchers in the aerospace industry for better design and more realistic simulation results in ignition control.

scholarly journals Large-Eddy Simulation of Light-Round in an Annular Combustor With Liquid Spray Injection and Comparison With Experiments

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Théa Lancien ◽  
Kevin Prieur ◽  
Daniel Durox ◽  
Sébastien Candel ◽  
Ronan Vicquelin
Keyword(s):  
Large Eddy Simulation ◽  
Flame Propagation ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Complex Geometry ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Annular Combustor

A combined experimental and numerical study of light-round, defined as the flame propagation from burner to burner in an annular combustor, under perfectly premixed conditions has previously demonstrated the ability of large-eddy simulation (LES) to predict such ignition processes in a complex geometry using massively parallel computations. The present investigation aims at developing light-round simulations in a configuration closer to real applications by considering liquid n-heptane injection. The large-eddy simulation of the ignition sequence of a laboratory scale annular combustion chamber comprising sixteen swirled two-phase injectors is carried out with a mono-disperse Eulerian approach for the description of the liquid phase. The objective is to assess this modeling approach to describe the two-phase reactive flow during the ignition process. The simulation results are compared in terms of flame structure and light-round duration to the corresponding experimental images of the flame front recorded by a high-speed intensified CCD camera. The dynamics of the flow is also analyzed to identify and characterize mechanisms controlling flame propagation during the light-round process.

scholarly journals Ignition Probability and Lean Ignition Behaviour of a Swirled Premixed Bluff Body Stabilised Annular Combustor

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Ciardiello ◽  
Rohit S. Pathania ◽  
Patton M. Allison ◽  
Pedro M. de Oliveira ◽  
Epaminondas Mastorakos
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Bluff Body ◽  
Recirculation Zone ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
High Speed Imaging ◽  
Ignition Probability ◽  
Flame Kernel ◽  
Annular Combustor ◽  
Initial Flame ◽  
Limiting Condition

Abstract An experimental investigation was performed in a premixed annular combustor equipped with multiple swirl, bluff body burners to assess the ignition probability and to provide insights into the mechanisms of failure and of successful propagation. The experiments are done at conditions that are close to the lean blow-off limit (LBO) and hence the ignition is difficult and close to the limiting condition when ignition is not possible. Two configurations were employed, with 12 and 18 burners, the mixture velocity was varied between 10 and 30 m/s, and the equivalence ratio (ϕ) between 0.58 and 0.68. Ignition was initiated by a sequence of sparks (2 mm gap, 10 sparks of 10 ms each) and “ignition” is defined as successful ignition of the whole annular combustor. The mechanism of success and failure of the ignition process and the flame propagation patterns were investigated via high-speed imaging (10 kHz) of OH* chemiluminescence. The lean ignition limits were evaluated and compared to the lean blow-off limits, finding the 12-burner configuration is more stable than the 18-burner. It was found that failure is linked to the trapping of the initial flame kernel inside the inner recirculation zone (IRZ) of a single burner adjacent to the spark, followed by localised quenching on the bluff body probably due to heat losses. In contrast, for a successful ignition, it was necessary for the flame kernel to propagate to the adjacent burner or for a flame pocket to be convected downstream in the chamber to grow and start propagating upwards. Finally, the ignition probability (Pign) was obtained for different spark locations. It was found that sparking inside the recirculation zone resulted in Pign ∼ 0 for most conditions, while Pign increased moving the spark away from the bluff-body or placing it between two burners and peaked to Pign ∼ 1 when the spark was located downstream in the combustion chamber, where the velocities are lower and the turbulence less intense. The results provide information on the most favourable conditions for achieving ignition in a complex multi-burner geometry and could help the design and optimisation of realistic gas turbine combustors.

Flame and Flow Dynamics of a Self-Excited, Standing Wave Circumferential Instability in a Model Annular Gas Turbine Combustor

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline O’Connor ◽  
Nicholas A. Worth ◽  
James R. Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Standing Wave ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Ring Vortex ◽  
Oh Radicals ◽  
Similar Frequency ◽  
Flame Dynamics ◽  
Annular Combustor

Azimuthal instabilities are prevalent in annular gas turbine combustors; these instabilities have been observed in industrial systems and research combustors, and have been predicted in simulations. Recent experiments in a model annular combustor have resulted in self-excited, circumferential instability modes at a variety of operating conditions. The instability mode “drifts” between standing and spinning waves, both clockwise and counter-clockwise rotating, during the course of operation. In this study, we analyze the flame response to standing wave modes by comparing the flame dynamics in a self-excited annular combustor with the flame dynamics in a single nozzle, transverse forcing rig. In the model annular combustor, differences in flame fluctuation have been observed at the node and anti-node of the standing pressure wave. Flames at the pressure anti-node display symmetric fluctuations, while flames at the pressure node execute asymmetric, flapping motions. This flame motion has been measured using both OH* chemiluminescence and planar laser induced fluorescence of OH radicals. To better understand these flame dynamics, the time-resolved velocity fields from a transverse forcing experiment are presented, and show that such a configuration can capture the symmetric and asymmetric disturbance fields at similar frequency ranges. Using high-speed PIV in multiple planes of the flow, it has been found that symmetric ring vortex shedding is driven by pressure fluctuations at the pressure anti-node whereas helical vortex disturbances drive the asymmetric flame disturbances at pressure nodes. By comparing the results of these two experiments, we are able to more fully understand flame dynamics during self-excited combustion instability in annular combustion chambers.

scholarly journals Ignition Probability and Lean Ignition Behaviour of a Swirled Premixed Bluff-Body Stabilised Annular Combustor

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Ciardiello ◽  
Rohit Pathania ◽  
Patton Allison ◽  
Pedro M. de Oliveira ◽  
Epaminondas Mastorakos
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Bluff Body ◽  
Recirculation Zone ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
High Speed Imaging ◽  
Ignition Probability ◽  
Flame Kernel ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
Annular Combustor ◽  
Favorable Conditions

Abstract An experimental investigation was performed in a premixed annular combustor equipped with multiple swirl, bluff body burners to assess ignition probability and provide insights into the mechanisms of failure and of successful flame propagation. Two configurations were employed, with 12 and 18 burners, mixture velocity was varied between 10 and 30 m/s, and equivalence ratio between 0.58 and 0.68. Ignition was initiated by a sequence of sparks and "ignition" is defined as successful ignition of the whole annular combustor. Mechanism of success and failure of the ignition process was investigated via high-speed imaging of OH*chemiluminescence. Lean ignition limits were evaluated and compared to the lean blow-off limits. It was found that failure is linked to the trapping of the flame kernel inside the inner recirculation zone (IRZ) of a single burner, followed by localised quenching on the bluff body due to heat losses. In contrast, for a successful ignition, it was necessary for the flame kernel to propagate to the adjacent burner. Finally, the ignition probability(Pign) was obtained for different spark locations. It was found that sparking inside the recirculation zone resulted in Pign~0 for most conditions, while Pign increased moving the spark away from the bluff body or placing it between two burners and peaked to Pign~1 when the spark was located downstream in the combustion chamber. The results provide information on the most favorable conditions for achieving ignition and could help design and optimization of realistic gas turbine combustors.

Influence of Main Swirler Vane Angle on the Ignition Performance of TeLESS-II Combustor

2016 ◽  
Vol 139 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Wang ◽  
Chi Zhang ◽  
Yuzhen Lin ◽  
Xin Hui ◽  
Jibao Li
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Main Stage ◽  
Ignition Process ◽  
High Speed Camera ◽  
Fuel Distribution ◽  
Fuel Droplets ◽  
Planar Laser ◽  
Cfd Method ◽  
Vane Angle

In order to balance the low emission and wide stabilization for lean premixed prevaporized (LPP) combustion, the centrally staged layout is preferred in advanced aero-engine combustors. However, compared with the conventional combustor, it is more difficult for the centrally staged combustor to light up as the main stage air layer will prevent the pilot fuel droplets arriving at igniter tip. The goal of the present paper is to study the effect of the main stage air on the ignition of the centrally staged combustor. Two cases of the main swirler vane angle of the TeLESS-II combustor, 20 deg and 30 deg are researched. The ignition results at room inlet temperature and pressure show that the ignition performance of the 30 deg vane angle case is better than that of the 20 deg vane angle case. High-speed camera, planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF), and computational fluids dynamics (CFD) are used to better understand the ignition results. The high-speed camera has recorded the ignition process, indicated that an initial kernel forms just adjacent the liner wall after the igniter is turned on, the kernel propagates along the radial direction to the combustor center and begins to grow into a big flame, and then it spreads to the exit of the pilot stage, and eventually stabilizes the flame. CFD of the cold flow field coupled with spray field is conducted. A verification of the CFD method has been applied with PLIF measurement, and the simulation results can qualitatively represent the experimental data in terms of fuel distribution. The CFD results show that the radial dimensions of the primary recirculation zone of the two cases are very similar, and the dominant cause of the different ignition results is the vapor distribution of the fuel. The concentration of kerosene vapor of the 30 deg vane angle case is much larger than that of the 20 deg vane angle case close to the igniter tip and along the propagation route of the kernel, therefore, the 30 deg vane angle case has a better ignition performance. For the consideration of the ignition performance, a larger main swirler vane angle of 30 deg is suggested for the better fuel distribution when designing a centrally staged combustor.

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