Influence of Nonaxisymmetric Confinement on the Hydrodynamic Stability of Multinozzle Swirl Flows

2018 ◽  
Vol 141 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harish G. Subramanian ◽  
Kiran Manoharan ◽  
Santosh Hemchandra
Keyword(s):  
Flow Model ◽  
Flow Instability ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Flow Density ◽  
Instability Modes ◽  
Swirl Flows ◽  
Geometric Confinement ◽  
Flow Oscillations ◽  
Nozzle Flows

Interaction between coherent flow oscillations and the premixed flame sheet in combustors can result in coherent unsteadiness in the global heat release response. These coherent flow oscillations can either be self-excited (e.g., the precessing vortex core) or result from the hydrodynamic response of the flow field to acoustic forcing. Recent work has focused on understanding the various instability modes and fundamental mechanisms that control hydrodynamic instability in single nozzle swirl flows. However, the effect of multiple closely spaced nozzles as well as the nonaxisymmetric nature of the confinement imposed by the combustor liner on swirl nozzle flows remains as yet unexplored. We study the influence of internozzle spacing and nonaxisymmetric confinement on the local temporal and spatiotemporal stability characteristics of multinozzle flows in this paper. The base flow model for the multinozzle case is constructed by superposing contributions from a base flow model for each individual nozzle. The influence of the flame is captured by specifying a spatially varying base flow density field. The nonaxisymmetric local stability problem is posed in terms of a parallel base flow with spatial variations in the two directions perpendicular to the streamwise direction. We investigate the case of a single nozzle and three nozzles arranged in a straight line within a rectangular combustor. The results show that geometric confinement imposed by the combustor walls has a quantitative impact on the eigenvalues of the hydrodynamic modes. Decreasing nozzle spacing for a given geometric confinement configuration makes the flow more unstable. The presence of an inner shear layer (ISL) stabilized flame results in an overall stabilization of the flow instability. We also discuss qualitatively, the underlying vorticity dynamics mechanisms that influence the characteristics of instability modes in triple nozzle flows.

Influence of Non-Axisymmetric Confinement on the Hydrodynamic Stability of Multi-Nozzle Swirl Flows

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harish G. Subramanian ◽  
Kiran Manoharan ◽  
Santosh Hemchandra
Keyword(s):  
Flow Model ◽  
Flow Instability ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Instability Modes ◽  
Swirl Flows ◽  
Geometric Confinement ◽  
Flow Oscillations ◽  
Nozzle Flows ◽  
Nozzle Spacing

Interaction between coherent flow oscillations and the pre-mixed flame sheet in combustors can result in coherent unsteadiness in the global heat release response. These coherent flow oscillations can either be self-excited (eg. the Precessing Vortex Core) or result from the hydrodynamic response of the flow field to acoustic forcing. Recent work has focused on understanding the various instability modes and fundamental mechanisms that control hydrodynamic instability in single nozzle swirl flows. However, the effect of multiple closely spaced nozzles as well as the non-axisymmetric nature of the confinement imposed by the combustor liner on swirl nozzle flows remains as yet unexplored. We study the influence of inter-nozzle spacing and non-axisymmetric confinement on the local temporal and spatiotemporal stability characteristics of multi-nozzle flows in this paper. The base flow model for the multi nozzle case is constructed by superposing contributions from a base flow model for each individual nozzle. The influence of the flame is captured by specifying a spatially varying base flow density field. The non-axisymmetric local stability problem is posed in terms of a parallel base flow with spatial variations in the two directions perpendicular to the streamwise direction. We investigate the case of a single nozzle and three nozzles arranged in a straight line within a rectangular combustor. The results show that geometric confinement imposed by the combustor walls has a quantitative impact on the eigenvalues of the hydrodynamic modes. Decreasing nozzle spacing for a given geometric confinement configuration makes the flow more unstable. The presence of an inner shear layer stabilized flame results in an overall stabilization of the flow instability. We also discuss qualitatively, the underlying vorticity dynamics mechanisms that influence the characteristics of instability modes in triple nozzle flows.

Absolute/Convective Instability Transition in a Backward Facing Step Combustor: Fundamental Mechanism and Influence of Density Gradient

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Manoharan ◽  
Santosh Hemchandra
Keyword(s):  
Stability Analysis ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Flow Velocity ◽  
Convective Instability ◽  
Flow Instability ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Combustion Instability ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Flow Density ◽  
Backward Facing Step

Hydrodynamic instabilities of the flow field in lean premixed gas turbine combustors can generate velocity perturbations that wrinkle and distort the flame sheet over length scales that are smaller than the flame length. The resultant heat release oscillations can then potentially result in combustion instability. Thus, it is essential to understand the hydrodynamic instability characteristics of the combustor flow field in order to understand its overall influence on combustion instability characteristics. To this end, this paper elucidates the role of fluctuating vorticity production from a linear hydrodynamic stability analysis as the key mechanism promoting absolute/convective instability transitions in shear layers occurring in the flow behind a backward facing step. These results are obtained within the framework of an inviscid, incompressible, local temporal and spatio-temporal stability analysis. Vorticity fluctuations in this limit result from interaction between two competing mechanisms — (1) production from interaction between velocity perturbations and the base flow vorticity gradient and (2) baroclinic torque in the presence of base flow density gradients. This interaction has a significant effect on hydrodynamic instability characteristics when the base flow density and velocity gradients are co-located. Regions in the space of parameters characterizing the base flow velocity profile, i.e. shear layer thickness and ratio of forward to reverse flow velocity, corresponding to convective and absolute instability are identified. The implications of the present results on prior observations of flow instability in other flows such as heated jets and bluff-body stabilized flames is discussed.

Effects of Fuel Staging on the Hydrodynamic Stability of Multinozzle Swirl Flows

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saarthak Gupta ◽  
Kiran Manoharan ◽  
Santosh Hemchandra
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Flow Velocity ◽  
Hydrodynamic Stability ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Computational Domain ◽  
Fuel Staging ◽  
Flow Oscillations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Oscillation Characteristics

Abstract Hydrodynamic instability in lean premixed gas turbine combustors can cause coherent flow velocity oscillations. These can in turn drive heat release oscillations that when favorably coupled with combustor acoustic modes can result in combustion instability. The aim of this paper is to understand the impact of fuel staging on the characteristics of hydrodynamic modes in multinozzle combustors. We extend our recent numerical study on the hydrodynamic stability characteristics of a multinozzle combustor having three nozzles in a straight line with uniform fuel–air ratio in each nozzle, to the nonuniform fuel–air ratio case. As before, we construct the base flow model for this study by superposing contributions from individual nozzles, determined using a base flow model for a nominally axisymmetric single nozzle, at every point in the computational domain. The impact of fuel staging is captured by changing the burnt to unburnt gas density ratio parameter in the individual contribution from each nozzle. We investigate the characteristics of the most locally absolutely unstable mode for two cases. The first one is when the middle nozzle is made fuel rich when compared to the side nozzles and the second is when the side nozzles are made fuel rich relative to the middle nozzle. The impact of nonuniform fuel/air ratio on the local absolutely unstable temporal eigenvalues is seen to be small. However, significant changes in the spatial structure of the flow oscillations associated with the hydrodynamic eigenmodes are observed. In the first case, the flow oscillations with a different locally azimuthal nature on the middle nozzle when compared to the side nozzles emerge as the middle nozzle is made richer. In the second case, the oscillations on the two side nozzles are suppressed leaving the middle nozzle in a state that closely matches that of a single unconfined nozzle with the same nominal base flow velocity field. These types of internozzle variations in flow oscillation characteristics can explain the emergence of nonuniformity in heat release oscillation characteristics between individual nozzles in multinozzle combustors.

Absolute/Convective Instability Transition in a Backward Facing Step Combustor: Fundamental Mechanism and Influence of Density Gradient

2014 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Manoharan ◽  
Santosh Hemchandra
Keyword(s):  
Stability Analysis ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Flow Velocity ◽  
Convective Instability ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Combustion Instability ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Flow Density ◽  
Backward Facing Step

Hydrodynamic instabilities of the flow field in lean premixed gas turbine combustors can generate velocity perturbations that wrinkle and distort the flame sheet over length scales that are smaller than the flame length. The resultant heat release oscillations can then potentially result in combustion instability. Thus, it is essential to understand the hydrodynamic instability characteristics of the combustor flow field in order to understand its overall influence on combustion instability characteristics. To this end, this paper elucidates the role of fluctuating vorticity production from a linear hydrodynamic stability analysis as the key mechanism promoting absolute/convective instability transitions in shear layers occurring in the flow behind a backward facing step. These results are obtained within the framework of an inviscid, incompressible, local temporal and spatio-temporal stability analysis. Vorticity fluctuations in this limit result from interaction between two competing mechanisms—(1) production from interaction between velocity perturbations and the base flow vorticity gradient and (2) baroclinic torque in the presence of base flow density gradients. This interaction has a significant effect on hydrodynamic instability characteristics when the base flow density and velocity gradients are colocated. Regions in the space of parameters characterizing the base flow velocity profile, i.e., shear layer thickness and ratio of forward to reverse flow velocity, corresponding to convective and absolute instability are identified. The implications of the present results on understanding prior experimental studies of combustion instability in backward facing step combustors and hydrodynamic instability in other flows such as heated jets and bluff body stabilized flames is discussed.

Effects of Fuel Staging on the Hydrodynamic Stability of Multi Nozzle Swirl Flows

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saarthak Gupta ◽  
Kiran Manoharan ◽  
Santosh Hemchandra
Keyword(s):  
Heat Release ◽  
Flow Velocity ◽  
Hydrodynamic Stability ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Computational Domain ◽  
Fuel Staging ◽  
Flow Oscillations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Oscillation Characteristics

Abstract Hydrodynamic instability in lean premixed gas turbine combustors can cause coherent flow velocity oscillations. These can in turn drive heat release oscillations that when favourably coupled with combustor acoustic modes can result in combustion instability. The aim of this paper is to understand the impact of fuel staging on the characteristics of hydrodynamic modes in multi-nozzle combustors. We extend our recent numerical study on the hydrodynamic stability characteristics of a multi-nozzle combustor having three nozzles in a straight line with uniform fuel-air ratio in each nozzle, to the non-uniform fuel-air ratio case. As before we construct the base flow model for this study by super-posing contributions from individual nozzles, determined using a base flow model for a nominally axi-symmetric single nozzle, at every point in the computational domain. The impact of fuel staging is captured by changing the burnt to unburnt gas density ratio parameter in the individual contribution from each nozzle. We investigate the characteristics of the most locally absolutely unstable mode for two cases. The first one is when the middle nozzle is made fuel rich when compared to the side nozzles and the second is when the side nozzles are made fuel rich relative to the middle nozzle. The impact of non-uniform fuel/air ratio on the local absolutely unstable temporal eigenvalues is seen to be small. However, significant changes in the spatial structure of the flow oscillations associated with the hydrodynamic eigen-modes are observed. In the first case, the flow oscillations with a different locally azimuthal nature on the middle nozzle when compared to the side nozzles emerge as the middle nozzle is made richer. In the second case, the oscillations on the two side nozzles are suppressed leaving the middle nozzle in a state that closely matches that of a single unconfined nozzle with the same nominal base flow velocity field. These types of inter-nozzle variations in flow oscillation characteristics can explain the emergence of non-uniformity in heat release oscillation characteristics between individual nozzles in multi-nozzle combustors.

Why Non-Uniform Density Suppresses the Precessing Vortex Core

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kilian Oberleithner ◽  
Steffen Terhaar ◽  
Lothar Rukes ◽  
Christian Oliver Paschereit
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Vortex Core ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Density Field ◽  
Density Stratification ◽  
Reacting Flow ◽  
Global Instability ◽  
Global Mode ◽  
Precessing Vortex Core ◽  
Flow Oscillations

Isothermal swirling jets undergoing vortex breakdown are known to be susceptible to self-excited flow oscillations. They manifest in a precessing vortex core and synchronized growth of large-scale vortical structures. Recent theoretical studies associate these dynamics with the onset of a global hydrodynamic instability mode. These global modes also emerge in reacting flows, thereby crucially affecting the mixing characteristics and the flame dynamics. It is, however, observed that these self-excited flow oscillations are often suppressed in the reacting flow, while they are clearly present at isothermal conditions. This study provides strong evidence that the suppression of the precessing vortex core is caused by density stratification created by the flame. This mechanism is revealed by considering two reacting flow configurations: The first configuration represents a detached steam-diluted natural gas swirl-stabilized flame featuring a strong precessing vortex core. The second represents a natural gas swirl-stabilized flame anchoring near the combustor inlet, which does not exhibit self-excited oscillations. Experiments are conducted in a generic combustor test rig and the flow dynamics are captured using PIV and LDA. The corresponding density fields are approximated from the seeding density using a quantitative light sheet technique. The experimental results are compared to the global instability properties derived from hydrodynamic linear stability theory. Excellent agreement between the theoretically derived global mode frequency and measured precession frequency provide sufficient evidence to conclude that the self-excited oscillations are, indeed, driven by a global hydrodynamic instability. The effect of the density field on the global instability is studied explicitly by performing the analysis with and without density stratification. It turns out that the significant change on instability is caused by the radial density gradients in the inner recirculation zone and not by the change of the mean velocity field. The present work provides a theoretical framework to analyze the global hydrodynamic instability of realistic combustion configurations. It allows relating the flame position and the resulting density field to the emergence of a precessing vortex core.

scholarly journals Groundwater contribution to river flows – using hydrograph separation, hydrological and hydrogeological models in a southern Quebec aquifer

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 7809-7838 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Larocque ◽  
V. Fortin ◽  
M. C. Pharand ◽  
C. Rivard
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Flow ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Base Flow ◽  
Groundwater Flow Model ◽  
Hydrograph Separation ◽  
River Flows ◽  
Groundwater Contribution ◽  
Base Flows

Abstract. Groundwater contribution to river flows, generally called base flows, often accounts for a significant proportion of total flow rate, especially during the dry season. The objective of this work is to test simple approaches requiring limited data to understand groundwater contribution to river flows. The Noire river basin in southern Quebec is used as a case study. A lumped conceptual hydrological model (the MOHYSE model), a groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) and hydrograph separation are used to provide estimates of base flow for the study area. Results show that the methods are complementary. Hydrograph separation and the MOHYSE surface flow model provide similar annual estimates for the groundwater contribution to river flow, but monthly base flows can vary significantly between the two methods. Both methods have the advantage of being easily implemented. However, the distinction between aquifer contribution and shallow subsurface contribution to base flow can only be made with a groundwater flow model. The aquifer renewal rate estimated with the MODFLOW model for the Noire River is 30% of the recharge estimated from base flow values. This is a significantly difference which can be crucial for regional-scale water management.

A Novel Bulk-Flow Model for Improved Predictions of Force Coefficients in Grooved Oil Seals Operating Eccentrically

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis San Andrés ◽  
Adolfo Delgado
Keyword(s):  
Test Data ◽  
Flow Model ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Added Mass ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Bulk Flow ◽  
Squeeze Film ◽  
Accurate Estimation ◽  
Force Coefficients ◽  
Process Gas

Oil seals in centrifugal compressors reduce leakage of the process gas into the support bearings and ambient. Under certain operating conditions of speed and pressure, oil seals lock, becoming a source of hydrodynamic instability due to excessively large cross coupled stiffness coefficients. It is a common practice to machine circumferential grooves, breaking the seal land, to isolate shear flow induced film pressures in contiguous lands, and hence reducing the seal cross coupled stiffnesses. Published tests results for oil seal rings shows that an inner land groove, shallow or deep, does not actually reduce the cross-stiffnesses as much as conventional models predict. In addition, the tested grooved oil seals evidenced large added mass coefficients while predictive models, based on classical lubrication theory, neglect fluid inertia effects. This paper introduces a bulk-flow model for groove oil seals operating eccentrically and its solution via the finite element (FE) method. The analysis relies on an effective groove depth, different from the physical depth, which delimits the upper boundary for the squeeze film flow. Predictions of rotordynamic force coefficients are compared to published experimental force coefficients for a smooth land seal and a seal with a single inner groove with depth equaling 15 times the land clearance. The test data represent operation at 10 krpm and 70 bar supply pressure, and four journal eccentricity ratios (e/c= 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7). Predictions from the current model agree with the test data for operation at the lowest eccentricities (e/c= 0.3) with discrepancies increasing at larger journal eccentricities. The new flow model is a significant improvement towards the accurate estimation of grooved seal cross-coupled stiffnesses and added mass coefficients; the latter was previously ignored or largely under predicted.

Validation of Hydrodynamic Stability of Supercritical Once-Through Boiler

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bing Wei ◽  
Dong Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Flow Instability ◽  
Hydrodynamic Instability ◽  
Pressure Head ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Hydrodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Boiler Operation ◽  
Calculation Results ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Heating Loads

Operating safety is one of the most important things to supercritical once-through boilers. To study the hydrodynamic characteristics of fluid in water walls of supercritical once-through boilers and to find out the instable factors will be of great significance to boiler operation. In this paper the mathematical models for hydrodynamic characteristics of fluid in water walls are established. With an example of 600MW boiler, by using the calculation program, the hydrodynamic characteristics curves without and with the throttles at the inlets of the water walls at different operating conditions are presented, the fluid flow instability and the reasons are analyzed. The calculation results show that the boiler operates stably and safely at 100% MCR (Maximum Continuous Rating) condition, the hydrodynamic instability exists at low heating loads of 30% MCR. The method of installing the throttles at the inlets of the water wall pipes will increase the parabola characteristics, help to improve the fluid instability to a certain stable extent, but due to the small curve slopes at low mass flowrates, still need to pay more attention to the low heating loads operation. The existence of gravity pressure head is good to the stability of the vertical upward flow.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document