Session: 04-27 Atomization and Spray Combustion III
Paper Number: 129150
129150 - Characterization of the Swirl Velocity Field and Atomization Processes of a Lean Burn Gas Turbine Fuel Injector
The present work investigates the swirl velocity field and atomization processes of a lean burn gas turbine swirl injector. The injector includes a complex configuration of a pilot mixer and a main mixer with a mass flow split ratio of 31:69. The pilot and main mixer include a set of counter-rotating axial and radial swirlers of different swirl numbers. Incoming airflow from the pilot's axial and radial swirler is separated by a prefilmer venturi. Jet in swirl cross-flow scheme is employed for injecting fuel into both pilot and main mixers. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) techniques are employed to investigate the air swirl flow field and atomization processes at the exit of the injector. Axial plane and transverse plane particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments are conducted to obtain the three-component velocity of the gas phase at selected planes. Experiments are carried out at various air-to-liquid ratios ranging from 7.30 to 30.45, keeping the liquid flow rate constant, with three injector configurations: pilot, main, and pilot plus main mixers. Individual recirculating flow structures are observed in the case of both pilot and main mixers, and they merge to form a central toroidal recirculation zone in the case of the full injector assembly. The air momentum dominates the overall spray topology and droplet dispersion at higher air-to-liquid ratio conditions for all three configurations. Spray PIV measurements highlighted significant radial drifting of pilot spray droplets under the influence of main mixer swirl streams. Overall, swirl sense is controlled by the main mixer, and significant slip velocities are observed at the shear layer regions.
Presenting Author: VIVEK SAHU Indian Institute of Technology Jammu
Presenting Author Biography: Vivek is a graduate student from the Indian Institute of Technology, Jammu, India. His research focuses on developing advanced fuel injectors for lean-burn gas turbine combustors. He has developed efficient fuel injection concepts for lean burn fuel injectors. Vivek conducts experimental research and has gained expertise in different laser-based diagnostic tools such as High/Low-speed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging (PLIF), and Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer (PDI/PDPA).
Authors:
VIVEK SAHU Indian Institute of Technology JammuPreetam Jamod Indian Institute of Technology Jammu
Shanmugadas K. P. Indian Institute of Technology Jammu
Characterization of the Swirl Velocity Field and Atomization Processes of a Lean Burn Gas Turbine Fuel Injector
Paper Type
Technical Paper Publication