Combustion Instability Research Articles

Combustion and emissions of an ammonia heavy-duty engine with a hydrogen-fueled active pre-chamber ignition system

Combustion and emission characteristics of a heavy-duty single-cylinder ammonia engine with a hydrogen-fueled active pre-chamber ignition system are investigated experimentally at the condition of IMEP 10 bar, 1000 rpm, where effects of spark timing, excess air ratio (λ), and hydrogen energy ratio are tested. Three distinguishable combustion phases are observed, including pre-chamber combustion, turbulent-jet-controlled combustion, and ammonia-chemical-kinetics-controlled combustion. Advancing spark timing makes combustion phases earlier, increasing pressure rise rate, combustion pressure, and NOx emissions. The optimal spark timing for the highest indicated thermal efficiency (ITE) is −12°CA ATDC in the experiment. λ range for stable combustion is 1.1–1.5 and ITE peaks at λ = 1.3. The hydrogen energy ratio, 7.9%∼10.5%, has little influence on the engine performance. However, a low hydrogen energy ratio could increase the risk of misfire. The optimal hydrogen energy ratio is about 9∼10%.

Dynamic analysis for ultra-supercritical boiler water wall considering uneven heat flux distribution and combustion instability

The dynamic characteristics of water-cooled wall are of great significance to the evaluation of the safety and flexibility for the boiler during peak shaving process. However, few dynamic studies considered the uneven heat flux distribution on the water-cooled wall, let alone the variable heat load caused by the combustion instability. In this paper, a segmented dynamic model is developed for the water-cooled wall of a 660 MW ultra supercritical boiler. The model is validated under steady and dynamic working conditions, respectively. Then, the step responses of the steam temperature in different flow loops under different load conditions are comparatively studied under the disturbances of single-parameter changes. In the cases of 10 % step decrease of either the feedwater temperature, the heat load or the feedwater mass flowrate, the outlet steam temperature is influenced greatly by the step decreased feedwater temperature under 100 % BMCR condition, while it is impacted most by the step decreased feedwater mass flow under 50 % THA condition. Under these disturbances, the outlet steam temperature of the tube with higher heat loads has larger variation and longer response time. In addition, the simulated combustion instability by the sinusoidal fluctuating heat load on the water wall is employed to explore the influences of the flame fluctuation amplitude and frequency to the water wall. The maximum steam temperature rises with the increase in amplitude but drops with the frequency of flame fluctuation. The thresholds for the flame fluctuation amplitude and frequency are obtained under different load conditions.

Feedback control of thermoacoustic instabilities in sequential combustor with nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharges

Controlling thermoacoustic instabilities is a necessary task for the development and operation of gas turbines. With the increasing proportion of renewable energy sources, gas turbines must have flexibility in terms of both fuel and load. This implies that thermoacoustic instabilities must be controlled under different operating conditions. Active control strategies are indeed very suitable in this case, as they can adapt to the changes in operating conditions. Nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharges (NRPD) has shown to be promising active control actuators because they require no moving parts. In this study, the effectiveness of feedback and open-loop control law with NRPD actuation to suppress thermoacoustic instabilities in a lab-scale sequential combustor is evaluated. The effect of the controller parameters on the NO emissions of the combustor is also quantified. The results indicate that there is a trade-off between acoustic pulsation reduction and NO emission.

Experimental Study on Pressure Oscillation Characteristics of Di-N-Butyl Ether in a Constant Volume Vessel

ABSTRACT This paper conducted experimental research on spontaneous pressure oscillation characteristics of di-n-butyl ether (DBE). Based on a constant volume vessel (CVV) with 210 mm in length and 180 mm in diameter, the initial pressure, temperature, and equivalence ratio ranges of 0.05–0.3 MPa, 373–453 K, and 0.7–1.6. The experimental data of combustion pressure, CVV vibration and sound pressure were analyzed. The results indicate that DBE exhibits the strongest pressure oscillation at high pressures, moderate temperatures and equivalence ratios. The highest oscillation intensity is achieved at 0.3 MPa, 433 K, equivalence ratio of 1.4. The vibration and sound pressure signals exhibit the same patterns as combustion pressure signals. Spectrum analysis is conducted by Fast Fourier Transform of pressure signals, it shows that the amplitude of the characteristic frequency increases with the increase of oscillation intensity. In addition, to further reveal the influence of combustion instability on oscillation intensity, the dimensionless parameter Peclet number and critical radius are compared, it shows that the combustion instability has strong effect on pressure oscillation, and diffusive-thermal instability is the key factor that influences pressure oscillation. This study is believed to be beneficial for organizing better combustion for internal combustion engines.

Numerical Investigations on Reducing Unburned Hydrocarbon and Carbon Monoxide Emissions in Reactivity-Controlled Compression Ignition Using Partial Reactivity Stratification with Alternative Fuels and Additive

<div>A numerical investigation has been performed in the current work on reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI), a low-temperature combustion (LTC) strategy that is beneficial for achieving lower oxides of nitrogen (NO<sub>x</sub>) and soot emission. A light-duty diesel engine was modified to run in RCCI mode. Experimental data were acquired using diesel as HRF (high-reactivity fuel) and gasoline as LRF (low reactivity fuel) to check the accuracy and fidelity of predicted results. Blends of ethanol and gasoline with DTBP (di-tert-butyl peroxide) addition in a small fraction on an energy basis were used in numerical simulations to promote ignitability and reactivity enhancement of PFI charge. Achieving stable, smooth, and gradual combustion in RCCI is challenging at low loads, especially in light-duty engines, due to misfiring and poor combustion stability. DTBP is known for enhancing cetane number and accelerating combustion, and it is mixed in a PFI blend to avoid combustion deterioration. The factors governing reactivity stratification to achieve optimal combustion phasing were investigated in the present study. DTBP decomposition and its low-temperature oxidation chemistry were found to be responsible for affecting combustion phasing, heat release patterns, and emission trends. DTBP additive and different in-cylinder strategies were applied and studied to reduce unburned emissions. Adopting a multiple injection approach utilizing dual-pulse assisted in reducing HC and CO levels. It enhances combustion quality by providing adequate control over combustion phasing. Altering operating parameters like intake temperatures reduced HC, CO, and soot emissions by 97.6%, 57.6%, and 52.8%, respectively, compared to baseline gasoline/diesel RCCI data. Optimizing the injection timings of the first and second pulse helps achieve optimal combustion phasing and a 72.95% reduction in NO<sub>x</sub> emissions. The higher injection pressure of DI helped lower the CO and soot emissions by 53.33% and 51.84%, respectively.</div>

Research on combustion stability characteristics of scramjet combustor equipped with strut injector

The combustor is the core component of the scramjet engine, and stable combustion is the prerequisite for the efficient operation of the scramjet engine. At present, researchers premix the fuel and oxidant to improve the combustion performance of the combustor, thereby reducing the mixing time and improving the combustion efficiency. This study proposes a new method of supplementing oxygen at the trailing edge of the strut to enhance mixing and combustion. This paper studies the combustion stability of the combustor equipped with this strut. This paper conducts a series of large eddy simulations under the combustor inlet conditions of Ma = 2.8, Tt = 1680 K, and Pt = 1.87 MPa, and obtains non-reactive flow field and reactive flow field data. The results show that the injection of oxygen at the trailing edge of the strut has a significant positive effect on fuel mixing and combustion. The non-reactive flow field results show that the injection of oxygen dilutes the kerosene at the trailing edge of the strut and improves the mixing efficiency. The reactive flow field results show that only when the oxygen supplement mass ratio is above 0.03 can a stable overall flame be formed inside the combustor, and oxygen supplementation enhances the heat release of premixed combustion. The Ret-Da distribution shows that due to the good mixing at the trailing edge of the strut, mixing is no longer the reason that restricts the combustion process, the heat release increases significantly, and the high-temperature heat release zone at the trailing edge of the strut ignites other fuels to form a stable flame in the combustor.

Longitudinal combustion instability in a hypergolic liquid bipropellant combustor with single dual-swirl coaxial injector

Self-excited longitudinal combustion instabilities were investigated in a hypergolic liquid bipropellant combustor, which applied single dual-swirl coaxial injector. Hot-fire tests were conducted for four different injector geometries, while extensive tests on injection conditions were carried out for each injector geometry. The synchronous measurement of the pressure and heat release rate was applied, successfully capturing the process of the pressure and heat release rate enhanced coupling and developing into in-phase oscillation. By calculating Rayleigh index at the head and middle section of the chamber, it is shown that Rayleigh index of the middle section is even higher than that of the head, indicating a long heat release zone. When the combustion instability occurs, the pressure in propellant manifolds also oscillates with the same frequency and lags behind the oscillation in the combustor. Compared to the oscillation in the outer injector manifold, the oscillation in the inner injector manifold shows a higher correlation with that in the chamber in amplitude and phase. Based on numerical simulations of the multiphase cold flow inside the injector and combustion process in the chamber, it is found that injector geometries affect longitudinal combustion instability by changing spray cone angle. The spray with small cone angle is more sensitive to the modulation of longitudinal pressure wave in combustion simulations, which is more likely to excite the longitudinal combustion instability. Meanwhile, the combustion instability may be related to the pulsating coherent structure generated by the spray fluctuation, which is determined by injection conditions. Besides, a positive feedback closed-loop system associated with the active fluctuation and passive oscillation of the spray is believed to excite and sustain the longitudinal combustion instability.

Mechanisms of ignition and combustion instability in a scramjet combustor with micro-rocket torch using dynamic mode decomposition

Mechanisms of ignition and combustion instability in a scramjet combustor with micro-rocket torch using dynamic mode decomposition

Nitrogen migration and gasification characteristics of pulverized coal using the novel gasification-combustion technology

This study proposes a feasible gasification-combustion technology for coal-fired boilers operating at low loads for the purpose of providing strong support for stable output of the power grid system that accommodates more renewable energy power. In this technology, a multi-nozzle impinging entrained-flow gasifier is used for the first time to preheat pulverized coal (PC), and the gasified fuel enters a down-fired combustor (DFC) for complete combustion with air-staged method. A 75 kW novel self-sustained gasification-combustion test rig was constructed. The stability and feasibility of the test rig were verified, and the gasification characteristics and nitrogen migration mechanism of PC under loads of 45 kW, 55 kW, 65 kW and 75 kW were investigated. The results demonstrated that the gasifier could continuously and steadily provide high-temperature gasified gas-char mixture to the combustor. The gas-char mixture, consisting of coal gas which was rich in high-concentration flammable gases (CO, H2, and CH4) and char with enlarged specific surface area, was easy to ignite, which could enhance the flame stability of boilers operating at low loads. Additionally, more than 61.6 % of coal-N was released in the gasifier. The liberated coal-N primarily transformed to N2 and NH3 instead of NOx, while the amount of NH3 produced was influenced by the gasification temperature. The gasified gas-char mixture entering the combustor achieved stable combustion with uniform temperature distribution. Before the injection of tertiary air, the released char-N and the NH3 in coal gas transformed primarily to N2, and there was no production of NO due to the strong reducing environment. The lowest NOx emission was 122.31 mg/Nm3 (@6% O2) at 65 kW, and the combustion efficiencies under all loads exceeded 99.62%, indicating that the gasification-combustion technology could enable efficient combustion and reduce NOx emission. Hopefully, the proposed technology could provide an innovative solution for the stable combustion of PC boilers at low loads and provide a feasible way to achieve clean combustion.

Experimental study on how the settings of plasma affect its effectiveness of suppression of thermoacoustic oscillations in a Rijke tube

Thermoacoustic instabilities, frequent in a wide range of combustors, arise from the intricate coupling between the flame’s unsteady heat release and the combustor acoustic. The application of plasma, characterized by its substantial local energy addition and radical generation, has demonstrated potential in disrupting this coupling and thereby mitigating thermoacoustic oscillations. Notably, open-loop control using discharge plasma has been successfully implemented to suppress self-excited oscillations in a Rijke tube setup. Considering the broader context of a complex system that integrates both thermoacoustic systems and discharge plasma, experiments were done to see its performance in stability under different arrangement and discharge repetition rates of discharge plasma. These experimental investigations identified critical operating conditions essential for complete suppression: (A) the optimal location of discharge actuations, and (B) the minimum energy required for complete suppression. Moreover, the impact of discharge plasma, particularly when tuned to the eigenfrequencies of oscillations within the thermoacoustic system, was thoroughly examined. The insights gained from these successful suppression trials are instrumental in guiding the strategic design of both physical arrangement and electrical configurations for the control of combustion instabilities via discharge plasma. Furthermore, through the photographing of the swinging arcs and their thermal disturbances by high-speed camera and high-speed schlieren, the characteristics of arcs’ thermal disturbances and the reasons affecting its suppression effectiveness were determined.

Investigations on performance of gasifier engine integration using three different biomasses as feedstocks

The integration of a downdraft gasifier with modified internal combustion engines presents a feasible solution for heat and power production, such as off-grid areas. This study conducted an experimental analysis to evaluate combustion in a modified engine. The morphological characteristics of the agricultural residue used in the gasifier were analyzed using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), along with an examination of the slagging inorganic constituents. The engine used in the experiments was a modified single-cylinder design paired with a downdraft gasifier. Three types of biomass feedstocks—eucalyptus, corncob, and pearl millet in pellet form —were tested. The performance of the downdraft gasifier was stabilized, and the engine was run independently on each type of producer gas at a constant speed under different loads to determine the optimum load. Cylinder pressure measurements were taken to estimate the heat release rate.The study found that power generation was lower than typical woody biomasses due to the lower calorific value of the producer gas from the tested feedstocks. Additionally, lower cylinder pressures and heat release rates were recorded, along with longer combustion durations. The varying proportions of producer gas affected combustion stability. Among the studied ashes, pearl millet corncob (PMC) exhibited the highest slagging tendency, followed by corncob (CC). Morphological analysis indicated that the eucalyptus residue's increased porosity was caused by the volatiles changing, forming pores and tube-like structures. An aliphatic C–H peak (3000–2500 cm⁻1) is absent from the residue, indicating that the aliphatic structure was disturbed during thermochemical conversion. During the gasification process, the residue's crystallinity reduced as it split down.

Turbocharged DISI engine low-load performance improvement investigation through ozone seeding with residual gases and excess air charge dilution

The automotive industry has long prioritized the search for more efficient engines, driven by environmental concerns, fuel prices, and consumer demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. Various technologies and strategies are explored to enhance performance while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Despite potential combustion stability issues, techniques like using lean mixtures or retaining exhaust gases are commonly employed. Ozone seeding has emerged as a combustion enhancer for internal combustion engines, particularly effective under lean mixtures or high residual gas levels, aiming to stabilize de-throttling conditions, minimize pumping losses, and enhance engine efficiency by enhancing the reactivity of the mixture through the release of radicals that facilitate fuel oxidation. This study investigates the impact of ozone addition on engine performance, emissions, and fuel consumption using a turbocharged SI vehicular engine on a dynamometer bench under different loads. Ozone was introduced to the engine intake using an ozone generator with compressed air, considering two mixture dilution strategies: fresh air and residual gases. Results show that ozone application, with Brazilian Gasoline Type C, induces autoignition of the end-gas under specific low-load, low-engine speed conditions. Up to 1000 ppm, ozone has no discernible impact on DISI engine operation under excess air dilution, maintaining performance equivalent to the baseline. For specific operating conditions with 3 and 4 bar BMEP, where ozone stabilizes combustion with higher residual gas fraction (RGF) percentages, there is a notable reduction in specific fuel consumption, suggesting a potential 1%–1.5% increase in brake efficiency. However, ozone seeding with high RGF percentages leads to a slight increase in CO emissions, elevated NOX emissions, and a tendency to reduce THC emissions up to a certain RGF limit.

Lower NO emission conditions of NH3–H2 mixtures under the oxygen-enriched premixed combustion mode

Compared with pure NH3 fuel, the lower NO emission conditions of NH3–H2 mixtures under the oxygen-enriched combustion mode have been identified quantitatively. Furthermore, the effects of the H2 addition on the NO productions of premixed oxygen-enriched NH3–H2 flames are studied numerically, while the major reactions responsible for the variation of total NO are identified. Results show that the H2 addition is eligible to reduce the NO emissions of the oxygen-enriched NH3 combustion if the laminar burning velocity is fixed to a larger value (>23 cm/s). The quantitative equations are obtained to determine the optimum oxygen-enriched conditions of the NH3–H2 mixture, aiming to achieve lower NO emission and similar or improved combustion stability compared to pure NH3 fuel by restricting the minimum and maximum O2 percentages for the NH3–H2 mixtures. Based on the rate of production (ROP) analysis, for the oxygen-enriched NH3–H2 combustion, R144 (HNO + H<=>H2+NO) is consistently the most significant NO production reaction, while R85 (NH + NO<=>N2O + H) and R91 (N + NO<=>O + N2) play significant roles in the NO consumption. When the laminar burning velocity (SL) is kept to a lower value, the increased total NO of the oxygen-enriched NH3 flames with the H2 addition is ascribed to more efficient suppressions on the NO consumption reactions of R85, R91 and R77 (NH2+NO<=>NNH + OH). In contrast, thanks to the extra impact of the higher O2 percentage on the H/O/OH radical pool at larger SL, the NO production reactions begin to suffer stronger suppressions of the H2 addition, resulting in the reduced total NO of NH3–H2 mixtures. Furthermore, R144 is identified as the key reaction influencing the variation trend of total NO at both lower and higher SL values.

Evaluation of TiO2 Nanoparticle-Enhanced Palm and Soybean Biodiesel Blends for Emission Mitigation and Improved Combustion Efficiency.

The use of biodiesel as an alternative to conventional diesel fuels has gained significant attention due to its potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy sustainability. This study explores the impact of TiO2 nanoparticles on the emission characteristics and combustion efficiency of biodiesel blends in compression ignition (CI) engines. The fuels analyzed include diesel, SB20 (soybean biodiesel), SB20 + 50 TiO2 ppm, SB20 + 75 TiO2 ppm, PB20 (palm biodiesel), PB20 + 50 TiO2 ppm, and PB20 + 75 TiO2 ppm. Experiments were conducted under a consistent load of 50% across engine speeds ranging from 1000 to 1800 RPM. While TiO2 nanoparticles have been widely recognized for their ability to enhance biodiesel properties, limited research exists on their specific effects on soybean and palm biofuels. This study addresses these gaps by providing a comprehensive analysis of emissions, including NOX, CO, CO2, and HC, as well as exhaust gas temperature (EGT), across various engine speeds and nanoparticle concentrations. The results demonstrate that TiO2 nanoparticles lead to a reduction in CO emissions by up to 30% and a reduction in HC emissions by 21.5% at higher concentrations and engine speeds. However, this improvement in combustion efficiency is accompanied by a 15% increase in CO2 emissions, indicating more complete fuel oxidation. Additionally, NOX emissions, which typically increase with engine speed, were mitigated by 20% with the addition of TiO2 nanoparticles. Exhaust gas temperatures (EGTs) were also lowered, indicating enhanced combustion stability. These findings highlight the potential of TiO2 nanoparticles to optimize biodiesel blends for improved environmental performance in CI engines.

Effect of mainstream-forced-entrainment control strategy on the combustion performance of a cavity-based combustor

The trapped vortex combustor (TVC) displays potential for use in advanced aircraft engines because of its excellent combustion stability with a compact geometry. However, the existence of forced-entrainment phenomenon in the mainstream poses obstacles to the practical application of TVC. This study introduces passive control strategies using modified radial struts to address the issue of mainstream-forced-entrainment in a TVC. Additionally, experimental and numerical studies were conducted to investigate how the mainstream-forced-entrainment control strategy on the combustion performance of a TVC. The findings suggest that the inclined strut (case-2) and longer-vertical strut (case-3) are more effective than the short-vertical strut (case-1) in reducing mainstream entrainment into the cavity. This results in a larger vortex structure and a more concentrated fuel distribution within the cavity of case-2 and case-3, as compared to case-1. Consequently, case-2 and case-3 achieved much better ignition and lean blowout limit and combustion efficiency performances compared to case 1.

Analysis of unstable combustion caused by the Gas–Liquid two-phase flow in small hypergolic propellant engines

Hypergolic bipropellant engines are extensively used in spacecraft operations. In these engines, the combustion reaction is initiated by the impinging jets of the oxidizer and fuel in the liquid phase. The most commonly used hypergolic fuels, hydrazine and monomethylhydrazine, as well as the oxidizer, nitrogen tetroxide, are all in liquid state under room temperature and atmospheric pressure conditions. However, as these engines are operated in a space vacuum, a portion of the propellant inevitably evaporates because of low-pressure boiling immediately after engine start-up. The mixing of gas with liquid propellant results in unstable combustion, and minimizing this effect is critical for the engine design. Particularly, preventing high-frequency combustion instability is essential as it can be detrimental to the engine. This paper presents a mechanism that activates high-frequency combustion instability, realized by analyzing the pressure within the combustion chamber during artificially induced unstable combustion. Furthermore, the methodology for establishing operational constraints based on the proposed mechanism is clarified, along with the method for collecting test data. The study findings provide important indicators for the design criteria of bipropellant engines, contributing to the diversification and complexity of space development programs.

Research on combustion cycle-by-cycle variations under high load in SACI mode and application potential of i-EGR coupling air dilution when fueled with methanol and gasoline

Spark assist compression ignition (SACI) is a efficient combustion mode but roughness combustion under high load limits its application. This test analyzed the combustion parameters variation coefficient and quantified the correlation between combustion parameters with spark ignition ratio under high load SACI mode for engine fueled with methanol and gasoline, further studied the potential of i-EGR combining air dilution on improving combustion performance. Results showed that fueled with methanol can reduce in-cylinder pressure and pressure rise rate, and relieve the combustion roughness. However, compared with gasoline engine, the combustion parameters was more sensitive to ignition timing and i-EGR rate, especially for combustion phase parameters like ignition delay, combustion center and so on. Introducing small amount of high-temperature exhaust gas into cylinder will induce rougher combustion, but cylinder pressure significantly reduced and combustion phase parameters fluctuated with i-EGR rate increasing. Under high i-EGR rate, methanol as an oxygenated fuel was more beneficial to maintain stable combustion. I-EGR coupling air dilution can significantly improve the economic performance under high load SACI mode, fuel economy improvements of up to about 17.4% and 19% compared to the origin point when fueled with gasoline and methanol. EGR combining air dilution can simultaneously improve BSNOX, BSTHC, and BSCO emissions.

CFD Simulation of Pre-Chamber Spark-Ignition Engines—A Perspective Review

The growing demand to reduce emissions of pollutants and CO2 from internal combustion engines has led to a critical need for the development of ultra-lean burn engines that can maintain combustion stability while mitigating the risk of knock. One of the most effective techniques is the pre-chamber spark-ignition (PCSI) system, where the primary combustion within the cylinder is initiated by high-energy reactive gas jets generated by pilot combustion in the pre-chamber. Due to the complex physical and chemical processes involved in PCSI systems, performing 3D CFD simulations is crucial for in-depth analysis and achieving optimal design parameters. Moreover, combining a detailed CFDs model with a calibrated 0D/1D model is expected to provide a wealth of new insights that are difficult to gather through experimental methods alone, making it an indispensable tool for improving the understanding and optimization of these advanced engine systems. In this context, numerous previous studies have utilized CFD models to optimize key design parameters, including the geometric configuration of the pre-chamber, and to study combustion characteristics under various operating conditions in PCSI engines. Recent studies indicate that several advanced models designed for conventional spark-ignition (SI) engines may not accurately predict performance under the demanding conditions of Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI) systems, particularly when operating in lean mixtures and environments with strong turbulence–chemistry interactions. This review highlights the pivotal role of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFDs) in optimizing the design of pre-chamber spark-ignition (PCSI) engines. It explores key case studies and examines both the advantages and challenges of utilizing CFDs, not only as a predictive tool but also as a critical component in the design process for improving PCSI engine performance.

Suppression of Combustion Oscillations in Hydrogen-Enriched Can-Type Combustors Through Fuel Staging

Abstract To achieve decarbonization in power-generating gas turbines, the technology of mixing hydrogen with natural gas is garnering significant attention. However, when blending natural gas with hydrogen, the altered combustion characteristics can lead to combustion instability in gas turbine combustors. Although fuel staging can effectively suppress combustion instability for can-type combustors, further research on mitigation strategies for hydrogen cofiring and their predictive methods is required. This study involves hydrogen cofiring experiments using a full-scale can-type combustor. Moreover, the resulting suppression of combustion instability is analyzed through fuel staging by utilizing three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and one-dimensional (1D) thermo-acoustic analysis. The experiments used a full-scale industrial can-type combustor with a five-around-one nozzle configuration. Hydrogen was blended with natural gas up to a volume fraction of 30%, maintaining a constant thermal power. Fuel staging was applied by controlling two out of five outer nozzles (ONs) along with the remaining three. Before the 1D thermo-acoustic analysis, the internal flame structure of the combustor was examined through 3D CFD analysis. Based on the results, a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) system was constructed for 1D thermo-acoustic analysis of the can-type combustor. The application of time delays derived from 3D CFD analysis to the 1D model revealed that differences in flame time delays across the nozzles cause combustion instability suppression observed in fuel staging.

Turbulent Burning Velocity of High Hydrogen Flames

Abstract The turbulent burning velocity (ST) is one of the most important combustion properties controlling combustor operability limits, directly influencing blowoff, flashback, and combustion instabilities. Hydrogen has particularly significant influences on the turbulent flame speed. This paper presents new H2/CH4 data of high pressure, high hydrogen turbulent burning velocities. The datasets were designed to address fundamental questions as well as provide engineering/design relevant insights. This paper presents new scaling analysis of fuel composition, pressure, and preheat temperature effects on turbulent burning velocity. We also discuss the importance of considering what is being held constant (temperature, flame speed, Reynolds number, etc.) when one is analyzing these sensitivities. Data show that hydrogen fraction and pressure cause an increase in turbulent flame speed; whether quantified as raw ST,GC or normalized as ST,GC/SL,0 or ST,GC/SL,max (where SL,0 and SL,max are the unstretched and stretched laminar flame speed, respectively). We also propose that observed increases in ST,GC with pressure are due to increases in Reynolds number and not a kinetics/stretch sensitivity effect. With increasing preheat temperature, ST,GC increases while its normalized value (ST,GC/SL,0 and ST,GC/SL,max) can either increase or decrease, depending upon fuel composition. We also show how these sensitivities vary, depending on whether these comparisons are made at constant raw turbulence intensity urms or at constant normalized urms/SL,0 or urms/SL,max.