Chaotic Analysis of the Thermoacoustic Instabilities of a Trapped Vortex Combustor

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Hernandez ◽  
Guido Troiani ◽  
Tiziano Pagliaroli ◽  
Abel Hernandez-Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Thermoacoustic Instabilities ◽  
Trapped Vortex

scholarly journals A review of cavity-based trapped vortex, ultra-compact, high-g, inter-turbine combustors

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
pp. 42-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Zhao ◽  
Ephraim Gutmark ◽  
Philip de Goey
Keyword(s):  
Trapped Vortex

Numerical Studies on Trapped-Vortex Concepts for Stable Combustion

1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. R. Katta ◽  
W. M. Roquemore
Keyword(s):  
Drag Coefficient ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Third Order ◽  
Cold Flow ◽  
Flow Simulations ◽  
Numerical Studies ◽  
Dynamic Flows ◽  
Experimental Findings ◽  
Trapped Vortex

Spatially locked vortices in the cavities of a combustor aid in stabilizing the flames. On the other hand, these stationary vortices also restrict the entrainment of the main air into the cavity. For obtaining good performance characteristics in a trapped-vortex combustor, a sufficient amount of fuel and air must be injected directly into the cavity. This paper describes a numerical investigation performed to understand better the entrainment and residence-time characteristics of cavity flows for different cavity and spindle sizes. A third-order-accurate time-dependent Computational Fluid Dynamics with Chemistry (CFDC) code was used for simulating the dynamic flows associated with forebody-spindle-disk geometry. It was found from the nonreacting flow simulations that the drag coefficient decreases with cavity length and that an optimum size exists for achieving a minimum value. These observations support the earlier experimental findings of Little and Whipkey (1979). At the optimum disk location, the vortices inside the cavity and behind the disk are spatially locked. It was also found that for cavity sizes slightly larger than the optimum, even though the vortices are spatially locked, the drag coefficient increases significantly. Entrainment of the main flow was observed to be greater into the smaller-than-optimum cavities. The reacting-flow calculations indicate that the dynamic vortices developed inside the cavity with the injection of fuel and air do not shed, even though the cavity size was determined based on cold-flow conditions.

Enhanced vortex stability in trapped vortex combustor

2010 ◽  
Vol 114 (1155) ◽  
pp. 333-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Vengadesan ◽  
C. Sony
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Vortex Flow ◽  
Cavity Size ◽  
Vortex Stability ◽  
Cold Flow ◽  
Air Jets ◽  
Passive Flow ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Trapped Vortex ◽  
Driver Air

Abstract The Trapped Vortex Combustor (TVC) is a new design concept in which cavities are designed to trap a vortex flow structure established through the use of driver air jets located along the cavity walls. TVC offers many advantages when compared to conventional swirl-stabilised combustors. In the present work, numerical investigation of cold flow (non-reacting) through the two-cavity trapped vortex combustor is performed. The numerical simulation involves passive flow through the two-cavity TVC to obtain an optimum cavity size to trap stable vortices inside the second cavity and to observe the characteristics of the two cavity TVC. From the flow attributes, it is inferred that vortex stability is achieved by circulation and the vortex is trapped inside when a second afterbody is added.

Towards Low-NOx Operation in a Complex Burner: Optimization of an Annular Trapped Vortex Combustor

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradip Xavier ◽  
Bruno Renou ◽  
Gilles Cabot ◽  
Mourad A. Boukhalfa ◽  
Michel Cazalens
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Energy ◽  
Combustion Instabilities ◽  
Chemical Parameters ◽  
Hot Gas ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Stable Flame ◽  
Mass Transfers ◽  
Gas Expansion ◽  
Trapped Vortex ◽  
Original Configuration

This paper focuses on optimizing an innovative annular Lean Premixed staged burner, following the Trapped Vortex Combustor concept. The latter consists of a lean main flame stabilized by passing past a rich cavity pilot flame. Unfortunately, this configuration is highly sensitive to combustion instabilities and the flame is not well stabilized. This work consists of adjusting aerodynamic variables, chemical parameters and burner geometry to reach a “low-NOx” operation while reducing other pollutants and getting a stable flame. Results show that stability is reached when mass transfers between main and cavity zones are reduced. Then, the main bulk velocity is increased to reduce the cavity thermal expansion, due to the hot gas expansion. In addition, the cavity flow rate is reduced to prevent from penetrating and disturbing the main flow. Re-arranging injections in the cavity also avoid local unsteady equivalence ratios, which creates an unsteady heat release and combustion with pulses. Regarding NOx, a leaner main flame combined with a sufficiently rich cavity mixture creates local stoichiometric zones at the interface between the cavity and the main zone. The latter point is found to be a good anchoring mechanism. Compared with the original configuration, a stable point of operation is found: acoustic energy is reduced by an order of 100, NOx level is less than 0.4 g/kgfuel, CO is cut by 93% with no more Unburned Hydro-Carbons.

Acoustic Energy Balance During the Onset, Growth and Saturation of Thermoacoustic Instabilities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Gaudron ◽  
D. Yang ◽  
A. S. Morgans
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Network Models ◽  
Acoustic Energy ◽  
Dimensionless Numbers ◽  
Weakly Nonlinear ◽  
Acoustic Damping ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instabilities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Acoustic Absorption Coefficient ◽  
Flame Describing Function

Abstract Thermoacoustic instabilities can occur in a wide range of combustors and are prejudicial since they can lead to increased mechanical fatigue or even catastrophic failure. A well-established formalism to predict the onset, growth and saturation of such instabilities is based on acoustic network models. This approach has been successfully employed to predict the frequency and amplitude of limit cycle oscillations in a variety of combustors. However, it does not provide any physical insight in terms of the acoustic energy balance of the system. On the other hand, Rayleigh’s criterion may be used to quantify the losses, sources and transfers of acoustic energy within and at the boundaries of a combustor. However, this approach is cumbersome for most applications because it requires computing volume and surface integrals and averaging over an oscillation cycle. In this work, a new methodology for studying the acoustic energy balance of a combustor during the onset, growth and saturation of thermoacoustic instabilities is proposed. The two cornerstones of this new framework are the acoustic absorption coefficient Δ and the cycle-to-cycle acoustic energy ratio λ, both of which do not require computing integrals. Used along with a suitable acoustic network model, where the flame frequency response is described using the weakly nonlinear Flame Describing Function (FDF) formalism, these two dimensionless numbers are shown to characterize: 1) the variation of acoustic energy stored within the combustor between two consecutive cycles, 2) the acoustic energy transfers occurring at the combustor’s boundaries and 3) the sources and sinks of acoustic energy located within the combustor. The acoustic energy balance of the well-documented Palies burner is then analyzed during the onset, growth and saturation of thermoacoustic instabilities using this new methodology. It is demonstrated that this new approach allows a deeper understanding of the physical mechanisms at play. For instance, it is possible to determine when the flame acts as an acoustic energy source or sink, where acoustic damping is generated, and if acoustic energy is transmitted through the boundaries of the burner.

Design of Acoustic Liner in Small Gas Turbine Combustor Using One-Dimensional Impedance Models

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daesik Kim ◽  
Seungchai Jung ◽  
Heeho Park
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Side Wall ◽  
Acoustic Energy ◽  
Gas Turbine Combustor ◽  
Design Guideline ◽  
Acoustic Damping ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instabilities ◽  
Acoustic Dissipation ◽  
Acoustic Liner ◽  
Bias Flow

The side-wall cooling liner in a gas turbine combustor serves main purposes—heat transfer and emission control. Additionally, it functions as a passive damper to attenuate thermoacoustic instabilities. The perforations in the liner mainly convert acoustic energy into kinetic energy through vortex shedding at the orifice rims. In the previous decades, several analytical and semi-empirical models have been proposed to predict the acoustic damping of the perforated liner. In the current study, a few of the models are considered to embody the transfer matrix method (TMM) for analyzing the acoustic dissipation in a concentric tube resonator with a perforated element and validated against experimental data in the literature. All models are shown to quantitatively appropriately predict the acoustic behavior under high bias flow velocity conditions. Then, the models are applied to maximize the damping performance in a realistic gas turbine combustor, which is under development. It is found that the ratio of the bias flow Mach number to the porosity can be used as a design guideline in choosing the optimal combination of the number and diameter of perforations in terms of acoustic damping.

Boundary Layer Flashback in Premixed Hydrogen–Air Flames With Acoustic Excitation

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Hoferichter ◽  
Thomas Sattelmayer
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Flow Velocity ◽  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Excitation Amplitude ◽  
Bulk Flow ◽  
Acoustic Excitation ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instabilities ◽  
Flame Flashback

Lean premixed combustion is prevailing in gas turbines to minimize nitrogen oxide emissions. However, this technology bears the risk of flame flashback and thermoacoustic instabilities. Thermoacoustic instabilities induce velocity oscillations at the burner exit which, in turn, can trigger flame flashback. This article presents an experimental study at ambient conditions on the effect of longitudinal acoustic excitation on flashback in the boundary layer of a channel burner. The acoustic excitation simulates the effect of thermoacoustic instabilities. Flashback limits are determined for different excitation frequencies characterizing intermediate frequency dynamics in typical gas turbine combustors (100–350 Hz). The excitation amplitude is varied from 0% to 36% of the burner bulk flow velocity. For increasing excitation amplitude, the risk of flame flashback increases. This effect is strongest at low frequencies. For increasing excitation frequency, the influence of the velocity oscillations decreases as the flame has less time to follow the changes in bulk flow velocity. Two different flashback regimes can be distinguished based on excitation amplitude. For low excitation amplitudes, flashback conditions are reached if the minimum flow velocity in the excitation cycle falls below the flashback limit of unexcited unconfined flames. For higher excitation amplitudes, where the flame starts to periodically enter the burner duct, flashback is initiated if the maximum flow velocity in the excitation cycle is lower than the flashback limit of confined flames. Consequently, flashback limits of confined flames should also be considered in the design of gas turbine burners as a worst case scenario.

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