scholarly journals LES Analysis of CO Emissions from a High Pressure Siemens Gas Turbine Prototype Combustor at Part Load

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 5751
Author(s):  
Pascal Gruhlke ◽  
Christian Beck ◽  
Bertram Janus ◽  
Andreas M. Kempf

This work contributes to the understanding of mechanisms that lead to increased carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations in gas turbine combustion systems. Large-eddy simulations (LES) of a full scale high pressure prototype Siemens gas turbine combustor at three staged part load operating conditions are presented, demonstrating the ability to predict carbon monoxide pollutants from a complex technical system by investigating sources of incomplete CO oxidation. Analytically reduced chemistry is applied for the accurate pollutant prediction together with the dynamic thickened flame model. LES results show that carbon monoxide emissions at the probe location are predicted in good agreement with the available test data, indicating two operating points with moderate pollutant levels and one operating point with CO concentrations below 10 ppm. Large mixture inhomogeneities are identified in the combustion chamber for all operating points. The investigation of mixture formation indicates that fuel-rich mixtures mainly emerge from the pilot stage resulting in high equivalence ratio streaks that lead to large CO levels at the combustor outlet. Flame quenching due to flame-wall-interaction are found to be of no relevance for CO in the investigated combustion chamber. Post-processing with Lagrangian tracer particles shows that cold air—from effusion cooling or stages that are not being supplied with fuel—lead to significant flame quenching, as mixtures are shifted to leaner equivalence ratios and the oxidation of CO is inhibited.

Author(s):  
Oliver Lammel ◽  
Tim Rödiger ◽  
Michael Stöhr ◽  
Holger Ax ◽  
Peter Kutne ◽  
...  

In this contribution, comprehensive optical and laser based measurements in a generic multi-jet combustor at gas turbine relevant conditions are presented. The flame position and shape, flow field, temperatures and species concentrations of turbulent premixed natural gas and hydrogen flames were investigated in a high-pressure test rig with optical access. The needs of modern highly efficient gas turbine combustion systems, i.e., fuel flexibility, load flexibility with increased part load capability, and high turbine inlet temperatures, have to be addressed by novel or improved burner concepts. One promising design is the enhanced FLOX® burner, which can achieve low pollutant emissions in a very wide range of operating conditions. In principle, this kind of gas turbine combustor consists of several nozzles without swirl, which discharge axial high momentum jets through orifices arranged on a circle. The geometry provides a pronounced inner recirculation zone in the combustion chamber. Flame stabilization takes place in a shear layer around the jet flow, where fresh gas is mixed with hot exhaust gas. Flashback resistance is obtained through the absence of low velocity zones, which favors this concept for multi-fuel applications, e.g. fuels with medium to high hydrogen content. The understanding of flame stabilization mechanisms of jet flames for different fuels is the key to identify and control the main parameters in the design process of combustors based on an enhanced FLOX® burner concept. Both experimental analysis and numerical simulations can contribute and complement each other in this task. They need a detailed and relevant data base, with well-known boundary conditions. For this purpose, a high-pressure burner assembly was designed with a generic 3-nozzle combustor in a rectangular combustion chamber with optical access. The nozzles are linearly arranged in z direction to allow for jet-jet interaction of the middle jet. This line is off-centered in y direction to develop a distinct recirculation zone. This arrangement approximates a sector of a full FLOX® gas turbine burner. The experiments were conducted at a pressure of 8 bar with preheated and premixed natural gas/air and hydrogen/air flows and jet velocities of 120 m/s. For the visualization of the flame, OH* chemiluminescence imaging was performed. 1D laser Raman scattering was applied and evaluated on an average and single shot basis in order to simultaneously and quantitatively determine the major species concentrations, the mixture fraction and the temperature. Flow velocities were measured using particle image velocimetry at different section planes through the combustion chamber.


Author(s):  
Marek Dzida ◽  
Krzysztof Kosowski

In bibliography we can find many methods of determining pressure drop in the combustion chambers of gas turbines, but there is only very few data of experimental results. This article presents the experimental investigations of pressure drop in the combustion chamber over a wide range of part-load performances (from minimal power up to take-off power). Our research was carried out on an aircraft gas turbine of small output. The experimental results have proved that relative pressure drop changes with respect to fuel flow over the whole range of operating conditions. The results were then compared with theoretical methods.


Author(s):  
A. Peretto

The present paper evaluates the behavior, in design and part load working conditions, of a complex gas turbine cycle with multiple intercooled compression, and the optional preheating of the air at the high pressure compressor outlet by means of the gas turbine outlet hot gas. The results are then compared with those obtained by a Brayton cycle gas turbine, with or without preheating of the air at the high pressure compressor outlet. Subsequently, the performance of complex combined cycles, with intercooled gas turbine as topper and one, two or three pressure level steam cycle as bottomer, in design and part load working conditions is also evaluated. The performance of these complex combined plants is then compared with that obtained by a Brayton cycle gas turbine as topper and one, two or three pressure level steam cycle as bottomer. Part load working conditions are realized by varying either the inlet guide vane angle of the first compressor nozzles or the maximum temperature at the combustor outlet. The study shows that in part load working conditions obtained by varying IGV, the complex cycles, in the examined gas turbine or in the combined cycle power plants, give conversion efficiencies decidedly greater than those obtainable by varying combustor exit temperature. Furthermore it is found that these complex power plant efficiencies, in part load working conditions, are far greater than those obtained by the Brayton cycle gas turbine, or by combined cycle with Brayton cycle gas turbine as topper, if IGV adjustment is adopted. If power variation is obtained with combustor outlet temperature adjustment, the efficiencies of the combined power plants with complex or Brayton cycle gas turbines, are substantially the same, for the same relative power variation.


Author(s):  
Tae Won Song ◽  
Jeong L. Sohn ◽  
Tong Seop Kim ◽  
Sung Tack Ro

To investigate the possible applications of the SOFC/MGT hybrid system to large electric power generations, a study for the kW-class hybrid power system conducted in our group is extended to the MW-class hybrid system in this study. Because of the matured technology of the gas turbine and commercial availability in the market, it is reasonable to construct a hybrid system with the selection of a gas turbine as an off-the-shelf item. For this purpose, the performance analysis is conducted to find out the optimal power size of the hybrid system based on a commercially available gas turbine. The optimal power size has to be selected by considering specifications of a selected gas turbine which limit the performance of the hybrid system. Also, the cell temperature of the SOFC is another limiting parameter to be considered in the selection of the optimal power size. Because of different system configuration of the hybrid system, the control strategies for the part-load operation of the MW-class hybrid system are quite different from the kW-class case. Also, it is necessary to consider that the control of supplied air to the MW-class gas turbine is typically done by the variable inlet guide vane located in front of the compressor inlet, instead of the control of variable rotational speed of the kW-class micro gas turbine. Performance characteristics at part-load operating conditions with different kinds of control strategies of supplied fuel and air to the hybrid system are investigated in this study.


Author(s):  
M. S. N. Murthy ◽  
Subhash Kumar ◽  
Sheshadri Sreedhara

Abstract A gas turbine engine (GT) is very complex to design and manufacture considering the power density it offers. Development of a GT is also iterative, expensive and involves a long lead time. The components of a GT, viz compressor, combustor and turbine are strongly dependent on each other for the overall performance characteristics of the GT. The range of compressor operation is dependent on the functional and safe limits of surging and choking. The turbine operating speeds are required to be matched with that of compressor for wide range of operating conditions. Due to this constrain, design for optimum possible performance is often sacrificed. Further, once catered for a design point, gas turbines offer low part load efficiencies at conditions away from design point. As a more efficient option, a GT is practically achievable in a split configuration, where the compressor and turbine rotate on different shafts independently. The compressor is driven by a variable speed electric motor. The power developed in the combustor using the compressed air from the compressor and fuel, drives the turbine. The turbine provides mechanical shaft power through a gear box if required. A drive taken from the shaft rotates an electricity generator, which provides power for the compressor’s variable speed electric motor through a power bank. Despite introducing, two additional power conversions compared to a conventional GT, this split configuration named as ‘Part Electric Gas Turbine’, has a potential for new applications and to achieve overall better efficiencies from a GT considering the poor part load characteristics of a conventional GT.


Author(s):  
S. Hubbard ◽  
A. P. Dowling

A theory is developed to describe low frequency acoustic waves in the complicated diffuser/combustor geometry of a typical industrial gas turbine. This is applied to the RB211-DLE geometry to give predictions for the frequencies of the acoustic resonances at a range of operating conditions. The main resonant frequencies are to be found around 605 Hz (associated with the plenum) and around 461 Hz and 823 Hz (associated with the combustion chamber), as well as one at around 22 Hz (a bulk mode associated with the system as a whole).


1978 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Russell ◽  
J. J. Witton

A study has been made of the turbine erosion problem encountered in a marinized aero gas turbine which arose from the change of fuel type necessitated by the marine application. The work has involved the development of a technique for collecting carbon shed from the combustion chamber under engine operating conditions. Tests using the collector were made with a single combustor test rig and compared to engine experience. Combustion chamber modifications were developed having low solids emissions and their emissions characterized using the collector. The data from the collector show that smaller particles than hitherto collected can produce significant long-term erosion and that reduction on both size and quantity of particles is necessary to reduce erosion to acceptable levels. The data obtained in this study are compared with other published information on the basic erosion process and erosion in gas turbines by natural mineral dusts. The implications of the results to current and future engines are discussed.


Author(s):  
G. R. Pucher ◽  
P. R. Underhill ◽  
W. D. Allan ◽  
G. Wang ◽  
S. Guy

Correct functioning of fuel nozzles is paramount to the efficient operation of gas turbine engines. Nozzles exhibiting poor distribution of droplets can be detrimental to combustion and overall engine life due to the creation of hot spots and potential for torching. The traditional technique of assessing nozzle performance involves operation in stagnant air conditions. Fuel spray is collected in the subdivided bins of a mechanical patternation system to determine spray symmetry. Recent improvements in spray analysis involve the use of laser light sheets to illuminate specific ‘slices’ of sprays in either cross sectional or axial planes. Typically, scattered light from the intersection of a laser sheet and a spray is recorded by a digital video camera, and images are averaged and corrected to determine the quality of the spray pattern. Such optical means of assessing spray quality provide great improvement over conventional means in terms of speed, convenience, and information retrieved. Nonetheless, data obtained in stagnant air conditions do not give an indication of spray geometry within combustion chambers under realistic operating conditions of airflow and combustion. This paper describes a project which applied laser-based optical patternation in a T-56 gas turbine combustion chamber rig with optical access under realistic flow conditions. As such, nozzle spray pattern was observed for various air and fuel flows in both cross sectional and plume (chamber axial) orientations. A deliberately damaged nozzle was also assessed for comparison with a good nozzle. Using optical filtration, spray patterns were observed under operationally representative combustion conditions.


Author(s):  
Jin Sik Yang ◽  
Jeong L. Sohn ◽  
Sung Tack Ro

In spite of the high performance characteristics of the solid oxide fuel cell / gas turbine (SOFC/GT) hybrid system, it is very difficult to maintain the high level performance under real application conditions, which generally require part-load operations. The performance loss of SOFC/GT hybrid systems under part-load operating conditions is closely related to that of the gas turbine. The power generated by the gas turbine in a hybrid system is much smaller than that generated by the SOFC. However, its contribution to the system efficiency is very important especially at part-load operating conditions. Therefore, to enhance the part-load performance of hybrid systems, it is useful to reduce the relative amount of power generated by a gas turbine that delivers lower performance than a SOFC. In the present study, several part-load operation strategies related to the gas turbine are studied and their impacts on the performance of a SOFC/GT hybrid system are discussed.


Author(s):  
Nicola Aldi ◽  
Nicola Casari ◽  
Mirko Morini ◽  
Michele Pinelli ◽  
Pier Ruggero Spina ◽  
...  

Abstract Energy and climate change policies associated with the continuous increase in natural gas costs pushed governments to invest in renewable energy and alternative fuels. In this perspective, the idea to convert gas turbines from natural gas to syngas from biomass gasification could be a suitable choice. Biogas is a valid alternative to natural gas because of its low costs, high availability and low environmental impact. Syngas is produced with the gasification of plant and animal wastes and then burnt in gas turbine combustor. Although synfuels are cleaned and filtered before entering the turbine combustor, impurities are not completely removed. Therefore, the high temperature reached in the turbine nozzle can lead to the deposition of contaminants onto internal surfaces. This phenomenon leads to the degradation of the hot parts of the gas turbine and consequently to the loss of performance. The amount of the deposited particles depends on mass flow rate, composition and ash content of the fuel and on turbine inlet temperature (TIT). Furthermore, compressor fouling plays a major role in the degradation of the gas turbine. In fact, particles that pass through the inlet filters, enter the compressor and could deposit on the airfoil. In this paper, the comparison between five (5) heavy-duty gas turbines is presented. The five machines cover an electrical power range from 1 MW to 10 MW. Every model has been simulated in six different climate zones and with four different synfuels. The combination of turbine fouling, compressor fouling, and environmental conditions is presented to show how these parameters can affect the performance and degradation of the machines. The results related to environmental influence are shown quantitatively, while those connected to turbine and compressor fouling are reported in a more qualitative manner. Particular attention is given also to part-load conditions. The power units are simulated in two different operating conditions: 100 % and 80 % of power rate. The influence of this variation on the intensity of fouling is also reported.


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