A Multiple Inlet Swirler for Gas Turbine Combustors
The central recirculation zone (CRZ) in a swirl
stabilized gas turbine combustor has a dominant effect on the fuel air
mixing process and flame stability. Most of state of the art swirlers
share one disadvantage; the fixed swirl number for the same swirler
configuration. Thus, in a mathematical sense, Reynolds number
becomes the sole parameter for controlling the flow characteristics
inside the combustor. As a result, at low load operation, the
generated swirl is more likely to become feeble affecting the flame
stabilization and mixing process. This paper introduces a new swirler
concept which overcomes the mentioned weakness of the modern
configurations. The new swirler introduces air tangentially and
axially to the combustor through tangential vanes and an axial vanes
respectively. Therefore, it provides different swirl numbers for the
same configuration by regulating the ratio between the axial and
tangential flow momenta. The swirler aerodynamic performance was
investigated using four CFD simulations in order to demonstrate the
impact of tangential to axial flow rate ratio on the CRZ. It was found
that the length of the CRZ is directly proportional to the tangential to
axial air flow rate ratio.
[1] A. H. Lefebvre, Gas turbine combustion. Hemisphere Publishing
Corporation, first edition, 1983.
[2] M. Mellor, Design of Modern gas Turbine Combustors, Academic
Press, 1990.
[3] Y. Wang, V. Yang, and R.A. Yetter, Numerical Study on Swirling Flow
in an Cylindrical Chamber, 42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting,
Reno, Nevada, 2004.
[4] Beer, J.M. and Chigier, N.A. (1972). Combustion Aerodynamics.
Applied Science Publisher, London
[5] Syred, N., Beer, J.M. (1974). Combustion in Swirling Flows: A Review.
Combustion and Flame, 23, pp. 143-201
[6] Gupta, A.K., Lilley, D.G. and Syred, N. (1984). Swirl Flows. Abacus
Press, Tunbridge Wells, England.
[7] Sloan, D.G., Smith, P.J. and Smoot, L.D. (1986). Modelling of Swirl in
Turbulent Flow System. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci, Vol 12, pp. 163-
250.
[8] B. E. Launder and D. B. Spalding. Lectures in Mathematical Models of
Turbulence. Academic Press, London, England, 1972.
[9] B. E. Launder and D. B. Spalding. The Numerical Computation of
Turbulent Flows. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and
Engineering, 3:269-289, 1974.
[10] FLUENT 6.3 User's Guide, Fluent Inc. 2006.
[11] Dynamics Jiyuan, T., Guan, H. Y., Chaoqun, L., 2008 Computational
Fluid: A Practical Approach, Butterworth-Heinemann Piblishing, pp
163-175.
[12] Versteeg, H.K. and Malalasekera, W., 1995, An Introduction to
Computational Fluid Dynamics, the Finite Volume Method", Longman
Group Ltd.
[13] Lucca-Negro and O-Doherty, 2001 O. Lucca-Negro and T. O-Doherty,
Vortex breakdown: a review, Progress in Energy and Combustion
Science 27 (2001), pp. 431-481.
[1] A. H. Lefebvre, Gas turbine combustion. Hemisphere Publishing
Corporation, first edition, 1983.
[2] M. Mellor, Design of Modern gas Turbine Combustors, Academic
Press, 1990.
[3] Y. Wang, V. Yang, and R.A. Yetter, Numerical Study on Swirling Flow
in an Cylindrical Chamber, 42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting,
Reno, Nevada, 2004.
[4] Beer, J.M. and Chigier, N.A. (1972). Combustion Aerodynamics.
Applied Science Publisher, London
[5] Syred, N., Beer, J.M. (1974). Combustion in Swirling Flows: A Review.
Combustion and Flame, 23, pp. 143-201
[6] Gupta, A.K., Lilley, D.G. and Syred, N. (1984). Swirl Flows. Abacus
Press, Tunbridge Wells, England.
[7] Sloan, D.G., Smith, P.J. and Smoot, L.D. (1986). Modelling of Swirl in
Turbulent Flow System. Prog. Energy Combust. Sci, Vol 12, pp. 163-
250.
[8] B. E. Launder and D. B. Spalding. Lectures in Mathematical Models of
Turbulence. Academic Press, London, England, 1972.
[9] B. E. Launder and D. B. Spalding. The Numerical Computation of
Turbulent Flows. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and
Engineering, 3:269-289, 1974.
[10] FLUENT 6.3 User's Guide, Fluent Inc. 2006.
[11] Dynamics Jiyuan, T., Guan, H. Y., Chaoqun, L., 2008 Computational
Fluid: A Practical Approach, Butterworth-Heinemann Piblishing, pp
163-175.
[12] Versteeg, H.K. and Malalasekera, W., 1995, An Introduction to
Computational Fluid Dynamics, the Finite Volume Method", Longman
Group Ltd.
[13] Lucca-Negro and O-Doherty, 2001 O. Lucca-Negro and T. O-Doherty,
Vortex breakdown: a review, Progress in Energy and Combustion
Science 27 (2001), pp. 431-481.
@article{"International Journal of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Sciences:64827", author = "Yehia A. Eldrainy and Hossam S. Aly and Khalid M. Saqr and Mohammad Nazri Mohd Jaafar", title = "A Multiple Inlet Swirler for Gas Turbine Combustors", abstract = "The central recirculation zone (CRZ) in a swirl
stabilized gas turbine combustor has a dominant effect on the fuel air
mixing process and flame stability. Most of state of the art swirlers
share one disadvantage; the fixed swirl number for the same swirler
configuration. Thus, in a mathematical sense, Reynolds number
becomes the sole parameter for controlling the flow characteristics
inside the combustor. As a result, at low load operation, the
generated swirl is more likely to become feeble affecting the flame
stabilization and mixing process. This paper introduces a new swirler
concept which overcomes the mentioned weakness of the modern
configurations. The new swirler introduces air tangentially and
axially to the combustor through tangential vanes and an axial vanes
respectively. Therefore, it provides different swirl numbers for the
same configuration by regulating the ratio between the axial and
tangential flow momenta. The swirler aerodynamic performance was
investigated using four CFD simulations in order to demonstrate the
impact of tangential to axial flow rate ratio on the CRZ. It was found
that the length of the CRZ is directly proportional to the tangential to
axial air flow rate ratio.", keywords = "Swirler, Gas turbine, CFD, Numerical simulation,
Recirculation zone, Swirl number", volume = "3", number = "5", pages = "674-4", }