Session: 36-02 Adjoint-based approaches - Part 2

Submission Number: 178034

Adjoint-Based Optimization of Fuel Spray Nozzles for Enhanced Gas Turbine Combustion Performance 

Fuel injection spray nozzle design plays a critical role in gas turbine combustion efficiency, directly impacting mixing characteristics and overall engine performance. Recent advances in additive manufacturing technologies have fundamentally transformed design paradigms in the aerospace industry, eliminating traditional manufacturing constraints and enabling the realization of complex, performance-driven geometries. This manufacturing evolution has opened new avenues for implementing sophisticated optimization strategies that prioritize aerodynamic performance over conventional design limitations.

This paper presents an adjoint-based optimization approach to aerodynamically optimize fuel injection nozzles for enhanced gas turbine combustion performance. The methodology employs second-order accurate CFD solvers for both primal and adjoint calculations, providing robust computational framework suitable for industrial applications. Shape optimization leverages adjoint surface sensitivities to inform mesh deformation through a steepest descent optimization algorithm.

The optimization targets enhanced fuel spray nozzle performance by reducing parasitic pressure losses, whilst constraining the swirl number. This approach addresses the competing design objectives of improving fuel-air mixing through maintaining swirl whilst reducing pressure losses for overall system efficiency.

Results demonstrate significant improvements in these nozzle performance metrics, giving rise to potential for better fuel atomization and mixing. The validated optimization framework provides valuable insights for industrial fuel injection system design and demonstrates the practical applicability of adjoint-based methods for gas turbine component development, in the era of advanced manufacturing technologies.

Presenting Author: Daniele Obiso Siemens Digital Industries

Presenting Author Biography: As part of the Siemens Digital Industry organization, I work as the Technical Product Manager for flow, turbulence and adjoint solvers in Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
My professional career has developed over the past 13 years through various CFD-related experiences, spanning from motorsport aerodynamics to a PhD on multiphase flows for the chemical industry.

Authors:

Daniele Obiso Siemens Digital Industries
Philip Ryan Siemens Digital Industries
Davide Daccò Rolls-Royce
Alexander Abley Rolls-Royce
Jon Gregory Rolls-Royce