Experimental Investigation into the Effects of Thermal Recuperation on the Combustion Characteristics of a Non-Premixed Meso-Scale Vortex Combustor

Seyed Ehsan Hosseini, Evan Owens, John Krohn and James Leylek
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Seyed Ehsan Hosseini: Combustion and Sustainable Energy Laboratory (ComSEL), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Arkansas Tech University, 1811 N Boulder Ave, Russellville, AR 72801, USA
Evan Owens: Combustion and Sustainable Energy Laboratory (ComSEL), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Arkansas Tech University, 1811 N Boulder Ave, Russellville, AR 72801, USA
John Krohn: Combustion and Sustainable Energy Laboratory (ComSEL), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Arkansas Tech University, 1811 N Boulder Ave, Russellville, AR 72801, USA
James Leylek: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, College of Engineering, 4183 Bell Engineering Center, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: In small-scale combustors, the ratio of area to the combustor volume increases and hence heat loss from the combustor’s wall is significantly enhanced and flame quenching occurs. To solve this problem, non-premixed vortex flow is employed to stabilize flames in a meso-scale combustion chamber to generate small-scale power or thrust for propulsion systems. In this experimental investigation, the effects of thermal recuperation on the characteristics of asymmetric non-premixed vortex combustion are studied. The exhaust gases temperature, emissions and the combustor wall temperature are measured to evaluate thermal and emitter efficiencies. The results illustrate that in both combustors (with/without thermal recuperator), by increasing the combustion air mass flowrate, the wall temperature increases while the wall temperature of combustor with thermal recuperator is higher. The emitter efficiency calculated based on the combustor wall temperature is significantly increased by using thermal recuperator. Thermal efficiency of the combustion system increases up to 10% when thermal recuperator is employed especially in moderate Reynolds numbers (combustion air flow rate is 120 mg/s).

Keywords: meso-scale combustor; vortex; non-premixed; thermal efficiency; emitter efficiency (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: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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