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Large-eddy simulation of low-swirl multi-nozzle combustion with co- and counter-swirling arrays

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Abstract

Large-eddy simulation (LES) of CH4-air low-swirl flame was carried out in a multi-nozzle combustor with two burner configurations by using a premixed flamelet model. The multi-nozzle burner includes a co-swirling array where all five nozzles act in the same direction and a counter-swirling array where the center nozzle is in the opposite swirling direction to the outer nozzles. LES results are in good agreement with OH-planar laser-induced florescence data in terms of OH concentrations and combustion progress variables. Numerical results show that the flow of each nozzle is constant before merging. The neighboring flows interact with each other and generate a highvelocity zone with intensive turbulence. The kinetic energy in the interacting region for the co-swirling array is larger than that for the counter-swirling array. After neighboring flow combining, the flow develops into a unified swirling motion similar to a single swirling flow for the co-swirling array, whereas the flow maintains the individual swirling structures for the counter-swirling arrangement. However, the swirling array exerts minimal effect on multi-nozzle combustion in terms of the temperature distributions and combustion progress of premixed low-swirl multi-nozzle flames.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Basic & Applied Research Center, Aero Engine Academy of China, Beijing, 101304, China

    Weijie Liu & Huiru Wang

  2. Institute of Turbomachinery, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Dongchuan Road 800, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Bing Ge & Shusheng Zang

Authors
  1. Weijie Liu
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  2. Bing Ge
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  3. Shusheng Zang
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  4. Huiru Wang
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Correspondence to Weijie Liu.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Jeong Park

Weijie Liu recieved his Ph.D. degrees in Power Machinery and Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, in 2017. He is currently an engineer at Aero-Engine Academy of China. His research interests include lean premixed combustion, multi-nozzle combustion, and theromacoustic instabilities.

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Liu, W., Ge, B., Zang, S. et al. Large-eddy simulation of low-swirl multi-nozzle combustion with co- and counter-swirling arrays. J Mech Sci Technol 33, 423–431 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-018-1242-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-018-1242-1

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