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Acoustic Dampers Effects on the Characteristics of Confined Swirling Partially Premixed Methane Flames

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Abstract

The effects of different baffled configurations of acoustic dampers placed downstream of the dump plane of a combustor on the mean flowfield, coherent structures, acoustics, stability and dynamics of partially premixed methane flames were experimentally investigated. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to capture the instantaneous flowfield downstream of the dump plane or the baffles and proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) was used to analyze coherent structures. High-speed imaging was used to capture flame dynamics, and a Bruel and Kjaer microphone was used to perform acoustics measurements. Two interchangeable baffle configurations were tested; one consists of eight-blade radial baffles attached to a circumferential baffle and placed underneath of a circumferentially-slotted cup (AD#1), and another consists of eight-blade radial baffles attached to a circumferential baffle (AD#2). The results revealed significant improvement in flame stability when using baffles. This is attributed to several factors. First, the burner baffled configurations caused a significant reduction in the amplitude of coherent structures and acoustics. Second, the presence of baffles promoted either a very narrow CRZ (in case of AD#2) or no ORZ with a weak CRZ (in case of AD#1). This positive axial velocity convected vortical structures farther downstream of AD#1. Third, both flame–flame interaction in AD#1 configuration (resulting from the axial flow off the circumferential slots and that from the swirling flow in the core flow region) and flame-baffles interaction in AD#2 configuration (resulting from the interplay between baffles’ tips and the swirling flame in the core region) helped reducing the azimuthal mean velocity and its rms component in the flow core region. This consequently resulted in a significant change in the azimuthal acoustic waves’ behavior within the combustor/confinement. The results revealed that the baffled burner configurations enhanced mixing as witnessed by the more flame bluish color and consequently its stability.

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Abbreviations

c:

Mean progress variable of flame front positions

D:

Inner diameter of the mixing tube (mm)

DIC :

Inner diameter of the confinement tube (mm)

f 1 :

Frequency of the first longitudinal mode (Hz)

I P :

Mean pixel intensity

k :

Specific heats ratio

L:

Mixing length (mm)

l :

Length of confinement (m)

M :

Number of velocity vector in each PIV image

N :

Total number of PIV images

n :

Total number of pressure fluctuations points

Pvar :

Pressure variance (Pa2)

P0 :

Reference pressure (Pa)

R :

Gas constant (kJ/kg k)

r:

Radial position (mm)

ReD :

Reynolds number based on the inner diameter of the mixing tube

S:

Swirl number

T :

Burnt mixture temperature (K)

t:

Time (ms)

U:

Radial velocity (m/s)

V:

Axial mean velocity (m/s)

VCL :

Centerline axial mean velocity (m/s)

Vj :

Mean bulk flow velocity (m/s)

Vrms :

Root mean square (rms) of the axial velocity fluctuations (m/s)

W:

Azimuthal velocity (m/s)

Wrms :

Root mean square (rms) of the azimuthal velocity fluctuations (m/s)

X:

Axial position (mm)

z:

Radial position normal to r direction (mm)

Δt:

Duration between two successive instantaneous flame images (ms)

\(\varepsilon\) :

Error associated with the PIV velocity estimation (m/s)

ɅL :

Integral length scale (mm)

λi :

POD modal energy of mode i (m2/s2)

λth :

Threshold modal energy (m2/s2)

ν:

Kinematic viscosity (m2/s)

\(\rho\) :

Fluid density (kg/m3)

Σ:

Summation

Φ:

Mixture/global equivalence ratio

Ø :

Equivalence ratio of the central tube mixture

ABO:

Asymmetric burner outlet

CRZ:

Central recirculation zone

FOV:

Field of view (mm2 or pixel2)

ISL:

Inner shear layer

MVGs:

Miniature vortex generators

NOx :

Nitrogen oxides

ORZ:

Outer recirculation zone

OSL:

Outer shear layer

PIV:

Particle image velocimetry

POD:

Proper orthogonal decomposition

PPFs:

Partially premixed flames

PSD:

Power spectral density (a.u.)

PVC:

Precessing vortex core

rms:

Root mean square (m/s)

ROI:

Region of interest (mm2 or pixel2)

SPL:

Instantaneous sound pressure level (db)

SPLtot :

Total sound pressure level (db)

TKE:

Turbulent kinetic energy (m2/s2)

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Acknowledgements

The financial support of this research was partially provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 5V6, Canada

    Mahmoud M. A. Ahmed & Madjid Birouk

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  1. Mahmoud M. A. Ahmed
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  2. Madjid Birouk
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Correspondence to Madjid Birouk.

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Ahmed, M.M.A., Birouk, M. Acoustic Dampers Effects on the Characteristics of Confined Swirling Partially Premixed Methane Flames. Flow Turbulence Combust 106, 185–206 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10494-020-00194-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10494-020-00194-2

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