Characterization of Different Actuator Designs for the Control of the Precessing Vortex Core in a Swirl-Stabilized Combustor

2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Finn Lückoff ◽  
Moritz Sieber ◽  
Christian Oliver Paschereit ◽  
Kilian Oberleithner
Keyword(s):  
Feedback Control ◽  
Vortex Core ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instabilities ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
System A ◽  
Excellent Control ◽  
Lock In

The precessing vortex core (PVC) represents a helical-shaped coherent flow structure typically occurring in both reacting and nonreacting swirling flows. Until now, the fundamental impact of the PVC on flame dynamics, thermoacoustic instabilities, and pollutant emissions is still unclear. In order to identify and investigate these mechanisms, the PVC needs to be controlled effectively with a feedback control system. A previous study successfully applied feedback control in a generic swirling jet setup. The next step is to transfer this approach into a swirl-stabilized combustor, which poses big challenges on the actuator and sensor design and placement. In this paper, different actuator designs are investigated with the goal of controlling the PVC dynamics. The actuation strategy aims to force the flow near the origin of the instability—the so-called wavemaker. To monitor the PVC dynamics, arrays of pressure sensors are flush-mounted at the combustor inlet and the combustion chamber walls. The best sensor placement is evaluated with respect to the prediction of the PVC dynamics. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is used to evaluate the passive impact of the actuator shape on the mean flow field. The performance of each actuator design is evaluated from lock-in experiments showing excellent control authority for two out of seven actuators. All measurements are conducted at isothermal conditions in a prototype of a swirl-stabilized combustor.

Characterization of Different Actuator Designs for the Control of the Precessing Vortex Core in a Swirl-Stabilized Combustor

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Finn Lückoff ◽  
Moritz Sieber ◽  
Christian Oliver Paschereit ◽  
Kilian Oberleithner
Keyword(s):  
Feedback Control ◽  
Vortex Core ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instabilities ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
System A ◽  
Excellent Control ◽  
Lock In

The precessing vortex core (PVC) represents a helical-shaped coherent flow structure typically occurring in both reacting and non-reacting swirling flows. Until now the fundamental impact of the PVC on flame dynamics, thermoacoustic instabilities and pollutant emissions is still unclear. In order to identify and investigate these mechanisms, the PVC needs to be controlled effectively with a feedback control system. A previous study successfully applied feedback control in a generic swirling jet setup. The next step is to transfer this approach into a swirl-stabilized combustor, which poses big challenges on the actuator and sensor design and placement. In this paper, different actuator designs are investigated with the goal of controlling the PVC dynamics. The actuation strategy aims to force the flow near the origin of the instability — the so-called wavemaker. To monitor the PVC dynamics, arrays of pressure sensors are flush-mounted at the combustor inlet and the combustion chamber walls. The best sensor placement is evaluated with respect to the prediction of the PVC dynamics. Particle image velocimetry is used to evaluate the passive impact of the actuator shape on the mean flow field. The performance of each actautor design is evaluated from lock-in experiments showing excellent control authority for two out of seven actuators. All measurements are conducted at isothermal conditions in a prototype of a swirl-stabilized combustor.

Control of the Precessing Vortex Core by Open and Closed-Loop Forcing in the Jet Core

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phoebe Kuhn ◽  
Jonas P. Moeck ◽  
Christian Oliver Paschereit ◽  
Kilian Oberleithner
Keyword(s):  
Vortex Core ◽  
Oscillation Frequency ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Axial Position ◽  
Hot Wire ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Lock In

The precessing vortex core (PVC) is the dominant coherent structure of swirling jets, which are commonly applied in gas turbine combustion. It stems from a global hydrodynamic instability that is caused by internal feedback mechanisms in the jet core. In this work, we apply open and closed-loop forcing in a generic non-reacting jet to control this mechanism and the PVC. Control is exerted by two oppositely facing, counter-phased zero-net mass flux jets, which are introduced radially into the flow through a thin lance positioned on the jet center axis. By using this type of forcing, the instability mode m = 1, corresponding to the PVC, can either be excited or damped. This markedly affects the PVC oscillation frequency and amplitude. The passive influence of the actuation lance on the mean flow field properties and the coherent flow dynamics is studied first without forcing. PIV and hot-wire measurements reveal an effect on the mean flow, but no qualitative changes of the PVC dynamics. Lock-in experiments are conducted, in which the synchronization behavior of the PVC with the forcing is determined. Here, two different cases are considered. First, actuation is applied at different streamwise positions in order to identify the region of highest receptivity towards external forcing. This region of lowest lock-in amplitude is shown to coincide with the location of the wavemaker, shortly upstream of the vortex breakdown bubble. Second, the lock-in behavior at a fixed axial position and various forcing frequencies ff is studied. A linear correlation between the lock-in amplitude and the deviation of the forcing frequency from the natural oscillation frequency |ff – fn| is observed. Closed-loop control is then applied with the aim to suppress the PVC. The actuator lance is positioned in the wavemaker region, where the flow is most receptive. Magnitude and phase of the natural flow oscillation associated with the PVC are estimated from four hot-wire signals using an extended Kalman filter. The estimated PVC signal is phase-shifted and fed back to the actuator. PIV measurements reveal that feedback control achieves a reduction of the PVC oscillation energy of about 40%.

Guiding Actuator Designs for Active Flow Control of the Precessing Vortex Core by Adjoint Linear Stability Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens S. Müller ◽  
Finn Lückoff ◽  
Kilian Oberleithner
Keyword(s):  
Stability Analysis ◽  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Linear Stability ◽  
Linear Stability Analysis ◽  
Vortex Core ◽  
Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry ◽  
Axial Position ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
Lock In

The fundamental impact of the precessing vortex core (PVC) as a dominant coherent flow structure in the flow field of swirl-stabilized gas turbine combustors has still not been investigated in depth. In order to do so, the PVC needs to be actively controlled to be able to set its parameters independently to any other of the combustion system. In this work, open-loop actuation is applied in the mixing section between the swirler and the generic combustion chamber of a non-reacting swirling jet setup to investigate the receptivity of the PVC with regard to its lock-in behavior at different streamwise positions. The mean flow in the mixing section as well as in the combustion chamber is measured by stereoscopic particle image velocimetry and the PVC is extracted from the snapshots using proper orthogonal decomposition. The lock-in experiments reveal the axial position in the mixing section that is most suitable for actuation. Furthermore, a global linear stability analysis is conducted to determine the adjoint mode of the PVC which reveals the regions of highest receptivity to periodic actuation based on mean flow input only. This theoretical receptivity model is compared with the experimentally obtained receptivity data and the applicability of the adjoint-based model for the prediction of optimal actuator designs is discussed.

Guiding Actuator Designs for Active Flow Control of the Precessing Vortex Core by Adjoint Linear Stability Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens S. Müller ◽  
Finn Lückoff ◽  
Kilian Oberleithner
Keyword(s):  
Stability Analysis ◽  
Combustion Chamber ◽  
Linear Stability ◽  
Linear Stability Analysis ◽  
Vortex Core ◽  
Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry ◽  
Axial Position ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
Lock In

The fundamental impact of the precessing vortex core (PVC) as a dominant coherent flow structure in the flow field of swirl-stabilized gas turbine combustors has still not been investigated in depth. In order to do so, the PVC needs to be actively controlled to be able to set its parameters independently to any other of the combustion system. In this work, open-loop actuation is applied in the mixing section between the swirler and the generic combustion chamber of a nonreacting swirling jet setup to investigate the receptivity of the PVC with regard to its lock-in behavior at different streamwise positions. The mean flow in the mixing section as well as in the combustion chamber is measured by stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (SPIV), and the PVC is extracted from the snapshots using proper orthogonal decomposition (POD). The lock-in experiments reveal the axial position in the mixing section that is most suitable for actuation. Furthermore, a global linear stability analysis (LSA) is conducted to determine the adjoint mode of the PVC which reveals the regions of highest receptivity to periodic actuation based on mean flow input only. This theoretical receptivity model is compared with the experimentally obtained receptivity data, and the applicability of the adjoint-based model for the prediction of optimal actuator designs is discussed.

scholarly journals Stability and Sensitivity Analysis of Hydrodynamic Instabilities in Industrial Swirled Injection Systems

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L. Kaiser ◽  
Thierry Poinsot ◽  
Kilian Oberleithner
Keyword(s):  
Stability Analysis ◽  
Linear Stability ◽  
Linear Stability Analysis ◽  
Vortex Core ◽  
Large Eddy Simulations ◽  
Mode Shapes ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Good Agreement

The hydrodynamic instability in an industrial, two-staged, counter-rotative, swirled injector of highly complex geometry is under investigation. Large eddy simulations show that the complicated and strongly nonparallel flow field in the injector is superimposed by a strong precessing vortex core. Mean flow fields of large eddy simulations, validated by experimental particle image velocimetry measurements are used as input for both local and global linear stability analysis. It is shown that the origin of the instability is located at the exit plane of the primary injector. Mode shapes of both global and local linear stability analysis are compared to a dynamic mode decomposition based on large eddy simulation snapshots, showing good agreement. The estimated frequencies for the instability are in good agreement with both the experiment and the simulation. Furthermore, the adjoint mode shapes retrieved by the global approach are used to find the best location for periodic forcing in order to control the precessing vortex core.

scholarly journals Excitation of the precessing vortex core by active flow control to suppress thermoacoustic instabilities in swirl flames

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 175682771985623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Finn Lückoff ◽  
Kilian Oberleithner
Keyword(s):  
Vortex Core ◽  
Oscillation Amplitude ◽  
Premixed Flames ◽  
Current Control ◽  
Minor Effect ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
Combustion Dynamics ◽  
Thermoacoustic Instabilities ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
The Impact

In this study, we apply periodic flow excitation of the precessing vortex core at the centerbody of a swirl-stabilized combustor to investigate the impact of the precessing vortex core on flame shape, flame dynamics, and especially thermoacoustic instabilities. The current control scheme is based on results from linear stability theory that determine the precessing vortex core as a global hydrodynamic instability with its maximum receptivity to open-loop actuation located near the center of the combustor inlet. The control concept is first validated at isothermal conditions. This is of utmost importance for the proceeding studies that focus on the exclusive impact of the precessing vortex core on the combustion dynamics. Subsequently, the control is applied to reacting conditions considering lean premixed turbulent swirl flames. Considering thermoacoustically stable flames first, it is shown that the actuation locks onto the precessing vortex core when it is naturally present in the flame, which allows the precessing vortex core frequency to be controlled. Moreover, the control allows the precessing vortex core to be excited in conditions where it is naturally suppressed by the flame, which yields a very effective possibility to control the precessing vortex core amplitude. The control is then applied to thermoacoustically unstable conditions. Considering perfectly premixed flames first, it is shown that the precessing vortex core actuation has only a minor effect on the thermoacoustic oscillation amplitude. However, we observe a continuous increase of the thermoacoustic frequency with increasing precessing vortex core amplitude due to an upstream displacement of the mean flame and resulting reduction of the convective time delay. Considering partially premixed flames, the precessing vortex core actuation shows a dramatic reduction of the thermoacoustic oscillation amplitude. In consideration of the perfectly premixed cases, we suspect that this is caused by the precessing vortex core-enhanced mixing of equivalence ratio fluctuations at the flame root and due to a reduction of time delays due to mean flame displacement.

scholarly journals Coherent structures in a swirl injector at Re  = 4800 by nonlinear simulations and linear global modes

2016 ◽  
Vol 792 ◽  
pp. 620-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Tammisola ◽  
M. P. Juniper
Keyword(s):  
Shear Layer ◽  
Vortex Core ◽  
Eddy Viscosity ◽  
Vortex Breakdown ◽  
Turbulent Viscosity ◽  
Fuel Injector ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Turbulent Dissipation ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
Global Modes

The large-scale coherent motions in a realistic swirl fuel-injector geometry are analysed by direct numerical simulations (DNS), proper orthogonal decomposition (POD), and linear global modes. The aim is to identify the origin of instability in this turbulent flow in a complex internal geometry. The flow field in the nonlinear simulation is highly turbulent, but with a distinguishable coherent structure: the precessing vortex core (a spiralling mode). The most energetic POD mode pair is identified as the precessing vortex core. By analysing the fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the time coefficients of the POD modes, we conclude that the first four POD modes contain the coherent fluctuations. The remaining POD modes (incoherent fluctuations) are used to form a turbulent viscosity field, using the Newtonian eddy model. The turbulence sets in from convective shear layer instabilities even before the nonlinear flow reaches the other end of the domain, indicating that equilibrium solutions of the Navier–Stokes are never observed. Linear global modes are computed around the mean flow from DNS, applying the turbulent viscosity extracted from POD modes. A slightly stable discrete $m=1$ eigenmode is found, well separated from the continuous spectrum, in very good agreement with the POD mode shape and frequency. The structural sensitivity of the precessing vortex core is located upstream of the central recirculation zone, identifying it as a spiral vortex breakdown instability in the nozzle. Furthermore, the structural sensitivity indicates that the dominant instability mechanism is the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability at the inflection point forming near vortex breakdown. Adjoint modes are strong in the shear layer along the whole extent of the nozzle, showing that the optimal initial condition for the global mode is localized in the shear layer. We analyse the qualitative influence of turbulent dissipation in the stability problem (eddy viscosity) on the eigenmodes by comparing them to eigenmodes computed without eddy viscosity. The results show that the eddy viscosity improves the complex frequency and shape of global modes around the fuel-injector mean flow, while a qualitative wavemaker position can be obtained with or without turbulent dissipation, in agreement with previous studies. This study shows how sensitivity analysis can identify which parts of the flow in a complex geometry need to be altered in order to change its hydrodynamic stability characteristics.

scholarly journals Experimental Study of the Precessing Vortex Core Impact on the Liquid Fuel Spray in a Gas Turbine Model Combustor

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Renaud ◽  
Sébastien Ducruix ◽  
Laurent Zimmer
Keyword(s):  
Vortex Core ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Dynamic Mode Decomposition ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Fuel Spray ◽  
Dynamic Mode ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core

Abstract Despite being good candidates for the reduction of pollutant emissions from gas turbines, burners operating in lean premixed prevaporized regimes often face stability issues and can be sensitive to perturbations. The swirling flow used to aerodynamically stabilize the flame can also lead to the appearance of a large-scale coherent flow structure known as the precessing vortex core (PVC). In this study, a swirl-stabilized combustor fed with liquid dodecane is studied at a globally lean operating condition with the help of high-speed diagnostics and dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) as the main postprocessing method. It is shown that the trace of a PVC originating inside the injector is still present in the fuel spray at the entrance of the chamber even though the aerodynamical structure itself is not detectable anymore. The perturbation of the fuel spray is then transmitted to the flame through local equivalence ratio fluctuations. It is observed that the PVC trace on the spray and thus on the flame can be suppressed by air flow modulations generated by a siren device. The suppression of this trace is shown to come from a decay of the aerodynamical structure itself rather than by a change in fuel mixing or vaporization. Analysis of the characteristic frequency of the PVC shows a frequency spread indicating a loss of coherence of the structure with the high-amplitude air flow rate fluctuations.

scholarly journals Experimental Study of the Precessing Vortex Core Impact on the Liquid Fuel Spray in a Gas Turbine Model Combustor

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Renaud ◽  
Sébastien Ducruix ◽  
Laurent Zimmer
Keyword(s):  
Vortex Core ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Dynamic Mode Decomposition ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Fuel Spray ◽  
Dynamic Mode ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core

Abstract Despite being good candidates for the reduction of pollutant emissions from gas turbines, burners operating in Lean Premixed Prevaporized regimes often face stability issues and can be sensitive to perturbations. The swirling flow used to aero-dynamically stabilize the flame can also lead to the appearance of a large-scale coherent flow structure known as the Precessing Vortex Core (PVC). In the present study, a swirl-stabilized combustor fed with liquid dodecane is studied at a globally lean operating condition with the help of high-speed diagnostics and Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) as the main post-processing method. It is shown that the trace of a PVC originating inside the injector is still present in the fuel spray at the entrance of the chamber even though the aerodynamical structure itself is not detectable anymore. The perturbation of the fuel spray is then transmitted to the flame through local equivalence ratio fluctuations. It is observed that the PVC trace on the spray and thus on the flame can be suppressed by air flow modulations generated by a siren device. The suppression of this trace is shown to come from a decay of the aerodynamical structure itself rather than by a change in fuel mixing or vaporization. Analysis of the characteristic frequency of the PVC shows a frequency spread indicating a loss of coherence of the structure with the high amplitude air flow rate fluctuations.

Numerical Study of the Precessing Vortex Core in a Confined Partially Premixed Swirl Combustion System

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Schneider ◽  
Amsini Sadiki ◽  
Alexander Maltsev ◽  
Johannes Janicka
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
Vortex Core ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
Swirl Flows ◽  
Combustion Properties ◽  
Partially Premixed

Swirl flows play an important role in modern combustion systems such as gas turbines, aero propulsion systems etc. Next to desirable effects such as enhanced mixing such flows often exhibit aerodynamical instabilities called precessing vortex core. The configuration under study here represents a model Gas Turbine(GT) combustion chamber and features the main properties of real gas turbine combustors: a confined swirled flow with multiple recirculation zones and reattachment points, resulting in reacting case in a partially premixed methane/air aerodynamically stabilised flame. This flame exibits also precessing vortex core (PVC). The present study especially concentrates on an evaluation of the performance of different URANS-based model-combinations in predicting this confined swirling reacting flow exhibiting such aerodynamic instabilities. For this purpose an extended Bray-Moss-Libby model and a G-equation based approach, both coupled to the mixture fraction transport equation to account for partially premixed effects, are applied. Their prediction potential in capturing partially premixed combustion properties is appraised by comparison with LDV, Raman and PLIF measurements. It turns out that the influence of the combustion model on simulation results of the flame front stabilisation or mean flow field is not obvious. Nevertheless it could be mentioned that the computation time with G-equation was approximately three times longer than with BML model due to the reinitialization needed in steady case calculations and 2 times longer in case of unsteady calculations.

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