Prediction of lean blowout performance on variation of combustor inlet area ratio for micro gas turbine combustor
Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology
ISSN: 0002-2667
Article publication date: 9 July 2021
Issue publication date: 5 August 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to predict the effect of combustor inlet area ratio (CIAR) on the lean blowout limit (LBO) of a swirl stabilized can-type micro gas turbine combustor having a thermal capacity of 3 kW.
Design/methodology/approach
The blowout limits of the combustor were predicted predominantly from numerical simulations by using the average exit gas temperature (AEGT) method. In this method, the blowout limit is determined from characteristics of the average exit gas temperature of the combustion products for varying equivalence. The CIAR value considered in this study ranges from 0.2 to 0.4 and combustor inlet velocities range from 1.70 to 6.80 m/s.
Findings
The LBO equivalence ratio decreases gradually with an increase in inlet velocity. On the other hand, the LBO equivalence ratio decreases significantly especially at low inlet velocities with a decrease in CIAR. These results were backed by experimental results for a case of CIAR equal to 0.2.
Practical implications
Gas turbine combustors are vulnerable to operate on lean equivalence ratios at cruise flight to avoid high thermal stresses. A flame blowout is the main issue faced in lean operations. Based on literature and studies, the combustor lean blowout performance significantly depends on the primary zone mass flow rate. By incorporating variable area snout in the combustor will alter the primary zone mass flow rates by which the combustor will experience extended lean blowout limit characteristics.
Originality/value
This is a first effort to predict the lean blowout performance on the variation of combustor inlet area ratio on gas turbine combustor. This would help to extend the flame stability region for the gas turbine combustor.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Prof. A. T. Ravichandran, Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, VelTech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology for permitting to conduct experiments. The authors also thank Asst. Prof. David Bhatt for his support and guidance to conduct experiments.
Citation
V., K. and R., N.S. (2021), "Prediction of lean blowout performance on variation of combustor inlet area ratio for micro gas turbine combustor", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 93 No. 5, pp. 915-924. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-02-2021-0042
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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