Large Eddy Simulation Analysis on Confined Swirling Flows in a Gas Turbine Swirl Burner

Tao Liu, Fuqiang Bai, Zixuan Zhao, Yuzhen Lin, Qing Du and Zhijun Peng
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Tao Liu: State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
Fuqiang Bai: Internal Combustion Engine Reserch Institute, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
Zixuan Zhao: Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Yuzhen Lin: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China
Qing Du: State Key Laboratory of Engines, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
Zhijun Peng: Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science, University of Bedfordshire, Luton LU1 3JU, UK

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: This paper describes a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) investigation into flow fields in a model gas turbine combustor equipped with a swirl burner. A probability density function was used to describe the interaction physics of chemical reaction and turbulent flow as liquid fuel was directly injected into the combustion chamber and rapidly mixed with the swirling air. Simulation results showed that heat release during combustion accelerated the axial velocity motion and made the recirculation zone more compact. As the combustion was taking place under lean burn conditions, NO emissions was less than 10 ppm. Finally, the effects of outlet contraction on swirling flows and combustion instability were investigated. Results suggest that contracted outlet can enhance the generation of a Central Vortex Core (CVC) flow structure. As peak RMS of velocity fluctuation profiles at center-line suggested the turbulent instability can be enhanced by CVC motion, the Power Spectrum Density (PSD) amplitude also explained that the oscillation at CVC position was greater than other places. Both evidences demonstrated that outlet contraction can increase the instability of the central field.

Keywords: swirl burner; swirl flow; central vortex core; large-eddy simulation; outlet contraction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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