• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.46-53
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• 2016

It is required to predict a limit cycle amplitude controlled by system's nonlinear behavior as well as an eigen-frequency and initial growth rate of instabilities under the linear motions, in order to fully understand combustion instabilities in a lean premixed gas turbine combustor. Special focus of the current work is placed on the limit cycle amplitude prediction using flame describing function(FDF) where the ratio of a heat release fluctuation to a given flow perturbation is expressed as a function of frequency and amplitude. In this study, the CFD modeling work based on RANS is carried out to obtain FDF, which makes that the nonlinear thermo-acoustic model is successfully developed for predicting the limit cycle amplitude of the combustion instability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.445-452
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• 2011

The present work addresses structural characteristics of natural gas flames in a lean premixed swirl-stabilized combustor with an attention focused on the effect of the formation of recirculation zones on the combustion instability. It is known that the recirculation zone plays an important role in stabilizing a turbulent, premixed natural gas flames by providing a source of heat or radicals to the incoming premixed fuel and air. To improve our understanding of the role of recirculation zones, the flame structure was investigated for various mixture velocities, equivalence ratios and swirl numbers. The optically accessible combustor allowed for the application of laser diagnostics, and Particle Image Velocimetry(PIV) measurements was used to characterize the flame structure under both cold flow conditions and hot flow conditions. Dynamic pressures were also measured to investigate characteristics of combustion at the same time. The results indicates that the formation of recirculation zone is strongly related to the occurrence of thermo-acoustic instabilities.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 2012

The flow field, fuel-air mixing, and behaviors of turbulent flames have been investigated using the large eddy simulation (LES) numerical technique in a premixed swirl combustor equipped with EV double cone burners. Recirculation zones are generated by the swirl burner, and lean premixed flames are formed within a distance of 0.2 m from the tip of the burner. NOx emission of 0.46 ppm is predicted at 1 atm and an air/fuel ratio of 38.7. However, most of the CO generated in a flame front continues to be oxidized as it moves toward the exit, and CO emission of 5.45 ppm is predicted at the exit. The NOx emission can be reduced by decreasing the pressure and air/fuel ratio. The characteristics of NOx emission have been investigated through RANS simulations for various fuel injection types, and it is found thereby that five-lance-hole injection produces the lowest NOx emission rate.