Flow field characteristics, mixing and emissions performance of a lab-scale rich-quench-lean trapped-vortex combustor utilizing a quench orifice plate combined with a bluff-body

Abstract

In this study, the low emission combustion technology of Rich-Quench-Lean (RQL) has been applied in Trapped-Vortex Combustor (TVC), and the combinative RQL-TVC shows a promising low emissions performance. By utilizing a quench orifice plate combined with a bluff-body, a lab-scale RQL-TVC was designed. The flow fields of RQL-TVC were measured by 2-D PIV and predicted by 3-D numerical simulation. Flow structures, radial profiles of normalized mean axial velocity, turbulence intensity and mixing level of the quench zone were analyzed. Results reveal that the dual-vortex and the single-vortex flow patterns both exist in cavities and quench zone of RQL-TVC, and the turbulence intensity is strong in the quench zone with some reverse flows. The spiral vortex was discussed by 3-D streamlines and the detail flow structures of the quench zone were analyzed based on the numerical results. The mixing level of the quench zone was determined, and results show that the quench device enhances the mixing level compared with TVC. Combustion efficiency and emissions performance were investigated experimentally, and results demonstrate that RQL-TVC has relatively higher combustion efficiency and lower emission index of CO, UHC and NOx than the same size lab-scale TVC in present work.