Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Numerical investigation of the structure of a silicon six-wafer micro-combustor under the effect of hydrogen/air ratio

  • Technical Paper
  • Published:
Microsystem Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Research reports indicate that sufficiently high equivalence ratio of the hydrogen/air mixture leads to the upstream burning in the recirculation jacket, possibly damaging the micro- combustor due to the high wall temperature. This work investigates the influences of the equivalence ratio of the mixture on the structure of a micro-combustor device. Numerical simulation approaches focused on the structural design of the micro-combustor with the flame burning in the recirculation jacket. Combustion characteristics of the combustor were first analyzed based on 2D computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and then thermo-mechanical analysis on the combustor was carried out by means of 3D Finite Element Analysis (FEA) method. The results showed that the most dangerous locations where the critical failure could possibly occur lay at the burning areas in the recirculation jacket due to the poor bonding, the high temperature and the residual stress. The results of this study can be used for the design and improvement of the micro-combustors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

C p :

Specific heat (J/kg K)

EX :

Elastic modulus (Pa)

K :

Conductivity (W/m K)

T:

Ambient temperature (K)

μ :

Poisson’s ratio

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

σ s :

Yield strength (MPa)

h :

Heat transfer coefficient on the outer wall (W/m2 K)

V :

Mass flow rate of the mixture (g/s)

ε :

Radiation emissivity of silicon

δ :

Equivalence ratios of the hydrogen/air mixture

α :

Coefficient of thermal expansion of silicon

References

  • Bagdahn J, Sharpe WN Jr (2003) Fracture strength of polysilicon at stress concentrations. IEEE J Microelectromech Syst 12:302–312

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen KS (1999) Materials characterization and structural design of ceramic micro turbomachinery. Ph.D. thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

  • Chen KS, Ayon AA, Zhang X (2002) Effect of process parameters on the surface morphology and mechanical performance of silicon structures after deep reactive ion etching. IEEE J Microelectromech Syst 11:264–275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Epstein AH (2003) Millimeter-scale, MEMS gas turbine engines. In: Proceedings of ASME Turbo Expo 2003 Power for Land, Sea, and Air (2003), vol 6, pp 16–19

  • Hua J, Wu M, Kumar K (2005a) Numerical simulation of the combustion of hydrogen–air mixture in micro-scaled chambers Part II: CFD analysis for a micro-combustor. Chem Eng Sci 60:3507–3515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hua J, Wu M, Kumar K (2005b) Numerical simulation of the combustion of hydrogen–air mixture in micro-scaled chambers Part I: fundamental study. Chem Eng Sci 60:3497–3506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klaasen EH, Petersen K, Noworolskil JM (1996) Silicon fusion bonding and deep reactive ion etching: a new technology for microstructures. Sens Actuators A 52:132–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehra A (2000) Development of a high power density combustion system for a silicon micro gas turbine engine, Ph.D. thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

  • Mehra A, Waitz IA (1998) Development of a hydrogen combustor for a microfabricated gas turbine engine. In: Solid state sensor and actuator workshop 1998, pp 224–231

  • Mehra A, Ayón AA, Waitz IA, Schmidt MA (1999) Microfabrication of high temperature silicon devices using wafer bonding and deep reactive ion etching. IEEE J Microelectromech Syst 8:152–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miki N, Zhang X (2003) Multi-stack silicon-direct wafer bonding for 3D MEMS manufacturing. Sens Actuators A 103:194–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park JH, Choi HC (2005) FEM analysis of multilayered MEMS device under thermal and residual stress. J Microsyst Technol 11:925–933

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spadaccini CM (2004) Combustion systems for power-MEMS applications. Ph.D. thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

  • Spadaccini CM, Jin L, Zhang X (2003) High power density silicon combustion system for micro gas turbine engines. J Eng Gas Turbines Power 125:709–719

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Chen KS (2002) Residual stress and fracture of thick dielectric films for power MEMS applications. IEEE J Microelectromech Syst 11:164–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Ghodssi R, Chen KS (2000) Residual stress characterization of thick PECVD TEOS film for power MEMS applications. In: Solid state sensor and actuator workshop 2000, pp 316–319

Download references

Acknowledgments

Dr. Lin Zhu would like to thank the financial support for the project from the Chinese National Foundation (50721140651), Anhui Province National Foundation (KJ2009B004Z), and Anhui Agricultural University Applied Research Grant (wd2008-6). Dr. Tien-Chien Jen would also like to acknowledge the partial financial support from EPA (RD833357) and Research Growth Initiative II from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230036, People’s Republic of China

    Lin Zhu, Cheng-Long Yin & Mei Zhu

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, USA

    Lin Zhu, Tien-Chien Jen & Ying-Feng Ji

Authors
  1. Lin Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tien-Chien Jen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ying-Feng Ji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cheng-Long Yin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mei Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lin Zhu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhu, L., Jen, TC., Ji, YF. et al. Numerical investigation of the structure of a silicon six-wafer micro-combustor under the effect of hydrogen/air ratio. Microsyst Technol 16, 1777–1786 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-010-1116-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-010-1116-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation