Proceedings of the 24th National and 2nd International ISHMT-ASTFE

Heat and Mass Transfer Conference (IHMTC-2017),

December 27-30, 2017, BITS Pilani, Hyderabad, India.

IHMTC2017-04-1149

COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS OF A CAN COMBUSTOR WITH DIFFERENT

FUEL INJECTOR CONFIGURATIONS

Parag Rajpara* Ankit Dekhatawala

S.V. National Institute of Technology, Surat S.V. National Institute of Technology, Surat
Gujarat, India Gujarat, India
*paragrajpara@gmail.com ankitjrf12svnit@gmail.com
Rupesh Shah Jyotirmay Banerjee
S.V. National Institute of Technology, Surat S.V. National Institute of Technology, Surat
Gujarat, India Gujarat, India
rds@med.svnit.ac.in jbaner@gmail.com

ABSTRACT increased in near liner wall region due to radial expansion of

Flow and combustion characteristics of reverse airflow hot flame.
CAN combustor are investigated for different fuel injector
configurations. In existing combustor, a simple conical shaped NOMENCLATURE
fuel injector is used. In order to promote the burning rate of
k Turbulence kinetic energy
fuel, fuel flow pattern is altered by modifying the fuel injector
geometry. The philosophy of reverse fuel injection is devised. Ԑ Turbulence dissipation rate
The existing conical shaped injector is replaced by cylindrical Ƞ Combustion efficiency
shaped reverse fuel injector. The fuel comes out in axially Texit max Maximum exit temperature
opposite direction towards the wall of hemispherical head. This Texit average Average exit temperature
fuel flow pattern allows fuel to radially spread in the primary Tinlet average Average inlet temperature
region.

ANSYS-FLUENT is used to perform numerical

investigations on CAN combustor for different fuel injector INTRODUCTION
arrangements. Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) based The conventional CAN combustor features a hemispherical
k-Ԑ model is used to evaluate turbulence parameters. The dome, cylindrical barrel with two rows of discrete air jets and
radiative heat transfer is included in the simulations by circular to rectangular exit nozzle. Swirler is used to promote
incorporating Discrete Ordinates (DO) model. Interaction fuel-air mixing. In conventional CAN combustor, swirler is
between turbulence and chemistry is modelled using positioned in annulus region surrounding the fuel injector on
Probability Density Function (PDF) approach. Methane is upstream end of the dome. Several studies demonstrating the
used as fuel. Results obtained in terms of axial velocity and performance assessment of conventional CAN combustor have
temperature are plotted along radial position at different axial claimed that swirler arrangement in conventional CAN
locations in the combustor. Experimental measurements of combustor sets the combustor liner at higher temperature and
temperature at combustor exit are reported along with excites the formation of hot spots of high temperature gradients
comparison of temperature fields obtained from the two fuel in primary zone which results into higher emission of NOx. [1-
injector models. Combustor performance is evaluated based on 9].
calculations of combustion efficiency and pattern factor.
A new philosophy of reverse air flow arrangement in CAN
Higher average exit temperature in CAN combustor is combustor was proposed by Arai et al. [10] and Furuhata et al.
achieved due to reverse fuel injection in the primary region. [11]. In this new combustor, swirler is set on the downstream
This increase in temperature at exit is attributed to increased end of the dome region. Alteration in swirling air direction
turbulence kinetic energy in the primary region due to improved produced the hot combustion products in the vicinity of
mixing between fuel and air in this region. The reverse fuel combustor centerline. Relative assessment of conventional and
injector shows higher combustion efficiency and improved reverse air flow CAN combustor performed by Shah and
pattern factor in reverse air flow combustor. Thermographic Banerjee [12] demonstrated that a typical air flow pattern in
image of outer casing wall of combustor demonstrates that reverse air flow combustor significantly reduces the liner wall
outer wall temperature increases due to reverse fuel injection temperature and NOx emission level. However, due to poor
compared to existing conical fuel injection. This increase in mixing characteristics, large amount of fuel remains unburned
outer wall temperature shows that the radiative heat transfer is at exit which in turn reduces the combustion efficiency of
reverse air flow combustor. The present work aims to carry out NUMERICAL METHODOLOGY
performance assessment of reverse air flow CAN type gas
The governing equations of mass, momentum, turbulence,
turbine combustor to enhance fuel burning rate and improve
energy, species and radiation intensity are solved in ANSYS-
combustion efficiency. The fuel flow pattern in existing reverse
FLUENT. The standard k-Ԑ model is coupled with Discrete
air flow combustor is changed by modifying the fuel injector
Ordinates (DO) method to solve radiative heat transfer in
geometry. Different fuel injector configurations are tested and
turbulent combustion. The directional variations of radiative
performance assessment of combustor is reported.
intensity is represented with 32 discrete directions in the DO
model. Turbulence-chemistry interaction is modelled using
VARIANTS OF FUEL INJECTOR
Probability Density Function (PDF) approach. All inlet surfaces
The reverse air flow CAN combustor geometry considered are defined as mass flow inlet and outlet is defined as pressure
in the present work is available in Shah Banerjee [12]. Figure outlet.
1(a) shows reverse air flow CAN combustor geometry with
conical shaped fuel injector. The existing conical shape fuel RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
injector is modified with cylindrical shape geometry injecting
fuel in axially opposite direction towards dome wall. The gap Comparison of Velocity Characteristics
between fuel injection holes and dome wall is kept 5mm in the
modification (figure 1b). Axial velocity, turbulence kinetic energy and temperature
Dilution hole axis Dilution hole axis distributions are plotted along radial position at specific axial
5 5
10 holes Ø=10mm 10 holes Ø=10mm
locations namely b, d and m inside the combustor. Station b is
positioned in the primary zone. Station d is at the middle of
25

25
37

37
49

49
39

39

cylindrical barrel. Station m is set at dilution region. Figure 4

25
40
15

15
40

shows these axial stations.

10
Station b Station d Station m
65 122 53 65 122 53 X=35mm X=136mm X=174.62mm

All dimensions are in mm All dimensions are in mm

(a) (b)
Figure 1. REVERSE AIR FLOW COMBUSTOR GEOMETRY
(a) SIMPLE CONICAL INJECTOR, (b) REVERSE FUEL
INJECTOR

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
X=0
A schematic diagram of experimental test facility is shown Figure 4. AXIAL STATIONS ON VERTICAL PLANE
in figure 2. The test setup is equipped with fuel and air lines and
measurement system. The combustor is made of stainless steel
304 material. Air required for combustion is supplied by a Figure 5 shows radial profiles of axial velocity at different
blower at desired pressure. Variable frequency drive is used to stations for various fuel injector models. At station b peaks of
control the air flow rate by controlling the blower motor speed. velocity are at off-center for all fuel injectors. This shows that
The total air flow rate is kept constant at 0.07 kg/s for all test main flow resulting from burning of fuel is present in this
cases. Methane is used as fuel. The air-fuel ratio (AFR) equal region. The magnitude of velocity increases in the central core
to 50 is maintained during experiments. Exhaust gas of primary region when reverse fuel injector is used in place of
temperature distribution is measured with the help of conical fuel injector. The higher gas velocity indicates
thermocouples. Figure 3 shows arrangement of thermocouples improvement in fuel-air mixing in the primary region. At
at the exit of combustor. Thermographic image of outer wall of station d peaks of velocity shifts radially outward which reveals
combustor is captured with the help of thermal imaging camera. that products of combustion expands due to burning of fuel.
Variation of velocity in radial direction is small at station d
compared to station b. The symmetrical nature of velocity
profile obtained at b and d is not observed at station m. This is
because the exit section of combustor is a non-symmetrical
circular to rectangular nozzle. At station m, velocity gradually
increases up to mid of positive radial position. This is because
flow converges in positive radial direction as it flows through
nozzle section.

0.05 0.05 Original injector

0.04 0.04 5mm injector
Radial distance (m)

Radial distance (m)

0.03 0.03
Figure 2. DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTAL TEST SETUP 0.02 0.02
0.01 0.01
100.00
0 0
-0.01 -0.01
-0.02 -0.02
25.00

-0.03 -0.03
-0.04 -0.04
-0.05 -0.05
0 15 30 45 60 75 0 15 30 45 60 75
10.00 Thermocouples Velocity (m/s) Velocity (m/s)
All dimensions are in mm
Station b Station d
Figure 3. EXIT SECTION OF COMBUSTOR
 0.05 efficiency is enhanced. The profile of combustion efficiency
0.04
resembles that of the average exit temperature profile. The

Radial distance (m)

0.03
0.02 lowest value is 68.2% for original fuel injector while the
0.01 maximum combustion efficiency value is 74.23% for reverse
0 fuel injector.
-0.01
-0.02
-0.03
-0.04 Ƞ (%) Texit (K)
-0.05
0 15 30 45 60 75
Velocity (m/s) 75 1040
Station m
1020
Figure 5. VELOCITY CHARACTERISTICS
1000
70
Comparison of Temperature Characteristics 980
Figure 7 shows radial temperature profiles at different axial 960
locations in the combustor. At all stations peaks of temperature 65 940
are at off-center. The minimum temperature is at wall Conical injector Reverse fuel injector
throughout the combustor length for all fuel injectors. The
magnitude of temperature mainly varies in region where fuel- Figure 7. AVERAGE EXIT TEMPERATURE AND
air mixture burns in the combustor. Higher temperature in COMBUSTION EFFICIENCY
central core region of combustor is achieved with reverse fuel
injector compared to original injector. This shows that burning Severe temperature fluctuations or too high temperature at
rate of fuel is enhanced due to alteration in fuel flow pattern. the exit of combustor is undesirable for turbine inlet conditions.
The burning rate of fuel is optimum when 15mm reverse fuel The pattern factor is defined as (Texit max – Texit average)/( Texit average
injector is used. It indicates that larger gap between fuel – Tinlet average) which reveals the temperature fluctuations or
injection holes and dome wall allows more fuel to get mix with possible hot spots at exit of combustor. Figure 8 shows the
air in the primary region. This in turn results into higher average values of pattern factor for different fuel injector
temperature and better quality of combustion. configurations. When reverse fuel injector is installed, the
pattern factor reduces in combustor. Therefore, it is concluded
0.05 0.05 that the performance of reverse air flow CAN combustor is
0.04 Original injector
5mm injector
0.04 enhanced when reverse fuel flow pattern is used in the
Radial distance (m)
Radial distance (m)

0.03 0.03 combustor.

0.02 0.02
0.01 0.01
0 0
-0.01 -0.01 Pattern factor
-0.02 -0.02
-0.03 -0.03
1.4
-0.04 -0.04
-0.05 -0.05 1.3
500 1000 1500 2000 500 1000 1500 2000
Temperature (K) Temperature (K)
Station b Station d 1.2
0.05
0.04 1.1
Radial distance (m)

0.03
0.02
0.01
1
0 Conical injector Reverse fuel injector
-0.01
-0.02 Figure 8. PATTERN FACTOR
-0.03
-0.04
-0.05 Measurement of combustor exit temperature
500 1000 1500 2000
Temperatuer (K)
Exhaust gas temperature of reverse air flow combustor is
Station m
measured for different fuel injector configurations. Methane is
Figure 6. TEMPERATURE CHARACTERISTICS
used as fuel. The exit section of combustor is shown in figure
3. Temperature profiles obtained for different fuel injectors are
Combustion efficiency and pattern factor compared and presented in figure 9. In figure 9, X=0m position
is the face center of exit whereas X=0.05m represents the wall.
The performance assessment of reverse air flow CAN
The comparison between conical fuel injector and reverse fuel
combustor is demonstrated based on calculation of combustion
injector reveals that temperature at central core of exit region is
efficiency and pattern factor. Figure 7 shows the average exit
nearly same in both cases. The change in temperature is
temperatures (Texit) and corresponding combustion efficiency
observed in region between center and wall. Temperature is
(Ƞ) for different fuel injector configurations. It can be seen that
increased in this region when reverse fuel injector is used. This
the average exit temperature is 951 K when original fuel
rise in temperature shows that more amount of heat energy is
injector is used. As original injector is replaced with reverse
released during combustion as a result of enhanced burning rate
fuel injector, the exit temperature jumps to 1009 K. The
of fuel.
combustion efficiency is a measure of amount of heat energy
released during combustion out of total heat available. The
higher average exit temperature reveals that the combustion
 1500
original 1. Higher value of average temperature at exit of
5mm combustor is observed with reverse fuel injector
model. This increase in average temperature at exit is

Temperature (K)
1250
attributed to increased turbulence kinetic energy in the
1000 primary region due to better fuel-air mixing in this
region.
750 2. The combustion efficiency and pattern factor are
improved with reverse fuel flow pattern in reverse air
500
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 flow CAN combustor.
Distance from center to wall (m) 3. Thermal imaging of outer casing wall of combustor
Figure 9. TEMPERATURE PROFILES AT EXIT demonstrates that wall temperature increases when
reverse fuel injector is used in combustor.

Thermal imaging ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A large portion of heat transfer to and from walls of
This work has been financially supported by the
combustor occurs by radiation. In combustion chamber, the
Aeronautics Research and Development Board (ARDB), New
liner is heated by convection and radiation heat transfer from
Delhi, Government of India under the Grant-In-Aid scheme
flame and it is cooled by convection to the annulus air and
(Sanction letter no. ARDB/01/1041742/M/I dated 7 October
radiation to the outer casing wall. Thermal radiation emitted by
2014).
outer casing wall surface is measured with the help of thermal
imaging camera. The temperature measurement range of
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