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Experimental and numerical simulation for swirl flow in a combustor

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Abstract

Results of the experimental and numerical simulation for swirl flow in combustion of a lean methane-air mixture in a model combustor at atmospheric pressure are represented. The panoramic method for the flow velocity measurement and the calculation by a large eddy method were used for the investigation of the nonstationary turbulent flow. The numerical modeling for the breakdown of the vortex core of the flow and the topology of large-scale vortex structures forming in it showed the close fit to the experiment. The analysis of obtained data showed that for the case of the intensive swirl of the flow as well as in the case of the flow without combustion, dynamics of the flow with combustion was determined by the global azimuthal instability mode corresponding to the intensive precession of the vortex core. The flame had the similar characteristics of the stability and compactness in the case of stabilization by the low swirl; however, velocity pulsations in the flow corresponded to the development of only local instability modes. Thus, the other kind of vortex breakdown in the case of the low swirl, for which the central recirculation zone is lacking, is not only favorable in view of the reduction of the NO x emission, but also remains a possibility for the effective use of the active control method for the flow and combustion. In particular, the given result may be used for the elimination of the thermoacoustic resonance in combustors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kutateladze Institute of Thermophysics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, bul’v. Akademika Lavrent’eva 1, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia

    V. M. Dulin, D. M. Markovich, A. V. Minakov, K. Hanjalic & L. M. Chikishev

  2. Novosibirsk State University, ul. Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia

    V. M. Dulin, D. M. Markovich, A. V. Minakov, K. Hanjalic & L. M. Chikishev

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  1. V. M. Dulin
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  2. D. M. Markovich
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  4. K. Hanjalic
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  5. L. M. Chikishev
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Original Russian Text © V.M. Dulin, D.M. Markovich, A.V. Minakov, K. Hanjalic, L.M. Chikishev, 2013, published in Izvestiya RAN. Energetika.

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Dulin, V.M., Markovich, D.M., Minakov, A.V. et al. Experimental and numerical simulation for swirl flow in a combustor. Therm. Eng. 60, 990–997 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1134/S004060151313003X

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