Measurement of Flame Characteristics of a Low Swirl Burner at High Pressures and Velocities

Abstract

A Low Swirl Burner (LSB) has been experimentally examined at pressures and temperatures relevant to ground power gas turbine engines. The LSB configuration was tested with a premixed methane-air mixture, preheated to about 500 K, at a lean equivalence ratio, φ = 0.56. CH* chemiluminescence images were acquired and used to analyze specific flame characteristics, such as flame shape and location. The combustor operating conditions (e.g., combustor pressure and flow velocity) and the LSB geometry (swirler vane angle) were varied to examine the dependence of the flame characteristics on these parameters. The weak dependence of flame location on reference velocity previously observed is confirmed at low to moderate values of u � /SL. At high pressures and velocities, turbulent flame speed effects and variations in the mass flow split within the LSB injector are suggested to influence the flame position.