Session: 04-35: Combustion Modeling III

Paper Number: 82150

82150 - FGM Applied to Grid Plate Flame Stabilisers for NOx Prediction in Non-Premixed Gas Turbine Combustion 

The reduction of NOx levels in gas turbine combustors has been a priority in combustor development for 40 years. The present work investigates one of the lowest NO_x design concepts using a directly fuelled grid plate flame stabiliser, which has been termed Grid Mix (GM). Combustors are in production using similar technology and at least two manufacturers have low NOx hydrogen combustors using similar flame stabilisers.  The Grid Mix technique for non-premixed combustion allows rapid fuel and air mixing for lean non-premixed ultra-low NO_x combustion. The technology has been investigated at a reference Mach number of M=0.047 and an overall pressure loss of ΔP/P = 2%, for a heat release of 28MW/m².

This paper presents a combustion model used in RANS modeling applied to perforated plates for Grid Mix diffusion combustion in gas turbines. An annular feed fueling at the downstream face of each air hole in the grid plate was investigated (GM2) and previous work has shown good agreement with the predicted mixing of fuel and air and combustion.

The studied combustion model flamelet Generated Manifold also allowed obtaining reasonable agreement with the NOx experimental results for GM2.  

An increasing interest in the use of hydrogen in gas turbines as a solution to decarbonization has led to the development of new technologies that have dual-fuel capabilities. This allows switching to H2 when a supply is available. A separate simulation for GM2 has been carried out as part of this paper, considering hydrogen at the same Mach number used for the propane simulation. The combustion and NOx predictions are presented, which show that this flame stabiliser offers a good solution to low NO_x with hydrogen. Combustors using similar design concepts for low NOx have been demonstrated in pressurised combustion test facilities by some gas turbine manufacturers.

 

Presenting Author: José Ramón Quiñonez Arce University of Leeds

Presenting Author Biography: Ph.D. student in the School of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Leeds<br/>working with CFD simulation for low NOx technologies for gas turbines and process heathers.<br/><br/>Graduated with honours from B. Eng from the Instituto Tecnol&#243;gico de Mazatl&#225;n, Mexico as Mechanical Engineer.<br/>Has presented three papers at ASME, ECCRIA, and HEFAT conferences<br/>Has undertaken 2 roles as Research Assistant in two academic/industrial projects in the UK:<br/>-Hy4Heat<br/>-GlassFutures<br/>Is currently working on the project Green Distilleries as Project Researcher.

Authors:

José Ramón Quiñonez Arce University of Leeds
Gordon E. Andrews University of Leeds
Herodotos Phylaktou University of Leeds