Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence and Chemiluminescence Analyses of CO2-Argon-Steam Oxyfuel (CARSOXY) Combustion

Strict regulations and acts have been imposed to limit NOx and carbon emissions. The power generation industry has resorted to innovative techniques to overcome such a low level of tolerance. Amongst those in the literature, CO2-argon-steam oxyfuel (CARSOXY) gas turbines have theoretically been proven to offer an economically sustainable solution while retaining high efficiency. Although theoretical studies have characterized CARSOXY, no experimental evidence has been provided in the literature. Therefore, this paper attempts to experimentally assess CARSOXY in comparison to a CH4/air flame. OH* chemiluminescence integrated with OH Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) imaging has been utilized to study flame stability and flame geometry (i.e., the area of highest heat intensity (AOH¯Max center of highest heat intensity (COH¯Max)) over a range of working fluid Reynolds’ numbers and oxidizing equivalence ratios. In addition, the standard deviation of heat release fluctuations (σOH*/OH¯) has been utilized as the base-criteria to compare the stability performance of CARSOXY to CH4/air combustion. Moreover, turbulence-chemistry interactions have been described using Damköhler numbers and by plotting Borghi regime diagrams. This paper suggests a modified numerical approach to estimate Damköhler numbers and plot regime diagrams for non-premixed combustion by utilizing the Buckingham π theorem based on experimental observations and results. CARSOXY flames showed lower flame intensity than that of the CH4/air flame throughout the entire Re interval by approximately 16%, indicating higher heat release. The Damköhler numbers of the CARSOXY flame were also greater than those of the CH4/air flame in all conditions, indicating more uniform CARSOXY flames. It was found that the tendency of the CARSOXY flame of approaching the concentrated reaction zone is greater than that of the CH4/air flame.

Temperature measurements in a swirling impinging flame by planar laser-induced fluorescence

This article presents the results of approbation of the method for registering temperature distributions based on the planar laser-induced fluorescence of a hydroxyl radical (OH) when the band (1-0) of the A2Σ+–X2Π system is excited. The thermometry is based on the recording the ratio of the radiation intensity of the band (2-0) and the bands (0-0), (1-1). Numerical modelling of fluorescence spectra is performed using the LASKIN program for the most frequent excitation lines Q2(7), Q1(8), R1(14), P1(2). The temperature field of a swirling flame, impinging on a flat cold surface, for H/d = 1, 2 and 3 calibres (where H is the distance between the jet nozzle and the surface, d is the outlet diameter of the nozzle) is obtained. The results of the work demonstrate that when the transition Q1(8) is excited, the ratio of the intensity of fluorescence signals for the band (2-0) and the bands (0-0), (1-1) provides a high sensitivity to temperature and is not significantly affected by fluorescence quenching. The report also concludes that this method can be implemented using single pulsed laser illumination and is effective for the detecting the position of flow recirculation zones and registering hot heat release zones with the combustion products.

A layer-peeling method for signal trapping correction in planar LII measurements of statistically steady flames

This work presents a layer-peeling (LP) algorithm to correct the signal trapping effect in planar laser-induced incandescence (LII) measurements of soot volume fraction. The method is based on measurements of LII signals captured by an intensified CCD camera at a series of parallel planes across a diffusion flame. A method based on presumed function (PF) of soot volume fraction is also proposed for comparison. The presented methods are numerically tested based on synthetic LII signals emitted from a simulated axisymmetric laminar diffusion flame using the CoFlame code. Numerical results showed that the LP method is able to correct the signal trapping effect, even for fairly large optical thicknesses and in a wide range of detection wavelengths. The correction decreases the relative errors induced by neglecting the trapping effect considerably. The signal trapping effect correction is less important for the determination of integrated soot quantities such as radially integrated soot volume fraction or total soot loading. Planar LII measurements were carried out and calibrated in order to test the method experimentally in a coflow flame. The LP, PF and a simplified analytical (SA) model were compared. The results indicate that the differences in soot volume fraction of 1 ppm or about 15% are obtained in zones of maximum soot loading of 6.5 ppm when the trapping effect is accounted for. Also, the LP and SA methods were found computationally efficient and accurate compared to the PF method. Although the study was performed in a canonical laminar axisymmetric flame, the proposed method can be applied to any statistically steady 3D flame.

Investigation of Hydrogen Content and Dilution Effect on Syngas/Air Premixed Turbulent Flame Using OH Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence

Syngas produced by gasification, which contains a high hydrogen content, has significant potential. The variation in the hydrogen content and dilution combustion are effective means to improve the steady combustion of syngas and reduce NOx emissions. OH planar laser-induced fluorescence technology (OH-PLIF) was applied in the present investigation of the turbulence of a premixed flame of syngas with varied compositions of H2/CO. The flame front structure and turbulent flame velocities of syngas with varied compositions and turbulent intensities were analyzed and calculated. Results showed that the trend in the turbulent flame speed with different hydrogen proportions and dilutions was similar to that of the laminar flame speed of the corresponding syngas. A higher hydrogen proportion induced a higher turbulent flame speed, higher OH concentration, and a smaller flame. Dilution had the opposite effect. Increasing the Reynolds number also increased the turbulent flame speed and OH concentration. In addition, the effect of the turbulence on the combustion of syngas was independent of the composition of syngas after the analysis of the ratio between the turbulent flame speed and the corresponding laminar flame speed, for the turbulent flames under low turbulent intensity. These research results provide a theoretical basis for the practical application of syngas with a complex composition in gas turbine power generation.

Application of Planar Laser Rayleigh Scattering for Measurement of Gas Temperature Distributions in Effusion Jet Cooled Panels Exposed to High Temperatures

This experimental study examines the use of planar laser Rayleigh scattering to measure instantaneous gas temperature distributions at different heights above the surface of an effusion cooled plate. An experimental test rig was used to model combustor conditions with a bulk crossflow temperature of 1500 K. Carbon dioxide was used as coolant at multiple blowing ratios ranging from 1.12 to 11.1. A "temperature-pegging" methodology was used to process Rayleigh light scattering images to create high resolution and accurate temperature images at heights of 2, 2.75, and 3.5 mm above the surface of a prototypical effusion plate. Measured temperature distributions were used to calculate root mean square (RMS) distributions, and were also converted to film effectiveness maps based on the upstream crossflow gas and effusion coolant temperatures. It is found that film cooling region spreads upstream with increasing effusion jet blowing ratio parameter. The root mean square (RMS) deviation of gas temperatures over each measurement plane show that the RMS fluctuations are low inside and outside the effusion film, but are high near the film edge. At a given height above the effusion panel, the RMS fluctuations decrease in the film region with increasing blowing ratio. Film effectiveness follows similar trends with high film effectiveness region expanding with increasing effusion jet blowing ratios.