Victoria Sanderson

COMPARISON OF MODIFIED k-? TURBULENCE MODELS FOR BUOYANT PLUMES

The effect of buoyancy on the production and dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy is investigated in variants of the popular kThe effect of buoyancy on the production and dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy is investigated in variants of the popular k

Biodiesel as an Alternative Fuel in Siemens Dry Low Emissions Combustors: Atmospheric and High Pressure Rig Testing

Atmospheric and high pressure rig tests were conducted to investigate the feasibility of using biodiesel as an alternative fuel to power industrial gas turbines in one of the worlds leading dry low emissions (DLE) combustion systems, the SGT-100. At the same conditions, tests were also carried out for mineral diesel to provide reference information to evaluate biodiesel as an alternative fuel. In atmospheric pressure rig tests, the likelihood of the machine lighting was identified based on the measured probability of the ignition of a single combustor. Lean ignition and extinction limits at various air temperatures were also investigated with different air assist pressures. The ignition test results reveal that reliable ignition can be achieved with biodiesel across a range of air mass flow rates and air fuel ratios (AFRs). In high pressure rig tests, emissions and combustion dynamics were measured for various combustor air inlet pressures, temperatures, combustor wall pressure drops, and flame temperatures. These high pressure rig results show that biodiesel produced less NO x than mineral diesel. The test results indicate that the Siemens DLE combustion system can be adapted to use biodiesel as an alternative fuel without major modification.

Application of Scalar Dissipation Rate Model to Siemens DLE Combustors

The standard design process for the Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery, Lincoln, Dry Low Emissions combustion systems has adopted the Eddy Dissipation Model with Finite Rate Chemistry for reacting computational fluid dynamics simulations. The major drawbacks of this model have been the over-prediction of temperature and lack of species data limiting the applicability of the model. A novel combustion model referred to as the Scalar Dissipation Rate Model has been developed recently based on a flamelet type assumption. Previous attempts to adopt the flamelet philosophy with alternative closure models have failed, with the prediction of unphysical phenomenon. The Scalar Dissipation Rate Model (SDRM) was developed from a physical understanding of scalar dissipation rate, signifying the rate of mixing of hot and cold fluids at scales relevant to sustain combustion, in flames and was validated using direct numerical simulations data and experimental measurements. This paper reports on the first industrial application of the SDRM to SITL DLE combustion system. Previous applications have considered ideally premixed laboratory scale flames. The industrial application differs significantly in the complexity of the geometry, unmixedness and operating pressures. The model was implemented into ANSYS-CFX using their inbuilt command language. Simulations were run transiently using Scale Adaptive Simulation turbulence model, which switches between Large Eddy Simulation and Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes using a blending function. The model was validated in a research SITL DLE combustion system prior to being applied to the actual industrial geometry at real operating conditions. This system consists of the SGT-100 burner with a glass square-sectioned combustor allowing for detailed diagnostics. This paper shows the successful validation of the SDRM against time averaged temperature and velocity within measurement errors. The successful validation allowed application of the SDRM to the SGT-100 twin shaft at the relevant full load conditions. Limited validation data was available due to the complexity of measurement in the real geometry. Comparison of surface temperatures and combustor exit temperature profiles showed an improvement compared to EDM/FRC model. Furthermore, no unphysical phenomena were predicted. This paper presents the successful application of the SDRM to the industrial combustion system. The model shows a marked improvement in the prediction of temperature over the EDM/FRC model previously used. This is of significant importance in the future applications of combustion CFD for understanding of hardware mechanical integrity, combustion emissions and dynamics of the flame. Copyright

Absorption of Normal-Incidence Acoustic Waves by Double Perforated Liners of Industrial Gas Turbine Combustors

Perforated liners consist of sheet metal perforated with multiple holes with diameters of magnitude in the order of millimeters and regular spacing, backed by an air cavity in front of a rigid wall. This type of liner is very effective at absorbing sound and is used in many applications. At the resonance frequency, the liner shifts the phase of the incident wave by 180° thus providing damping through wave cancellation.The perforations in the liner convert acoustic energy into flow energy through vortex shedding at the rims of the liner apertures.Applied to gas turbine combustors they can attenuate thermoacoustic instabilities and as such significantly improve the reliability of the gas turbine with an additional benefit to the emissions. The Siemens SGT-100 to 400 engines exploit this technology in their DLE combustion system in a configuration of two concentric liners separated by an air cavity with the rear liner acting as the rigid wall in the conventional setting.In this paper the evaluation of double perforated liners in the absorption of normal-incident plane acoustic waves in an impedance tube and in a gas turbine combustor environment is investigated.A one-dimensional impedance model that embodies the electro-acoustic analogy was used to predict the absorption characteristics of the double perforated liner. The model was validated by comparing the predictions with experimental data obtained from the impedance tube, with excellent agreement. With the confidence in the equations of the model in predicting the acoustic behavior, the model was then applied to predict the damping performance under realistic gas turbine combustor operating conditions. The prediction also shows two distinct peaks in the absorption characteristics of a double-liner.Geometric parameters such as hole diameters & thicknesses of the two liners, gap between the liners and the overall pressure drop across the liners have been considered for the predictions. A parametric study of these parameters carried out using the ISIGHT software with design investigation tools identified the order of importance of the parameters considered for sound absorption.The work reported in this paper has successfully validated an impedance model in the prediction of double perforated liners in the absorption of normal-incident plane acoustic waves. Based on the parametric study carried out design guidelines are given for designing a double perforated liner for maximum absorption of normal incident acoustic waves.Copyright

Intelligent Operation of Siemens (SGT-300) DLE Gas Turbine Combustion System Over an Extended Fuel Range With Low Emissions

The use of an innovative, intelligent control algorithm applied to the Siemens SGT-300 DLE engine is described. The algorithm ensures stable operation and minimises emissions over a wide variation in fuel composition. The Siemens 8MW class SGT-300 gas turbine has been in operation at the University of New Hampshire (USA) since 2006. As well as operating on natural gas or diesel, the engine also operates on a gas processed from a landfill. These gases have a variable Wobbe Index (WI) covering the range 29.7 to 49 MJ/m3 . No modifications have been required to the standard DLE combustion hardware. Introduction of the intelligent control algorithm has been instrumental in achieving this tri-fuel capability. Accumulation of more than 10 000 hours running on non-standard fuel has been achieved. The intelligent control algorithm exploits knowledge of the stable operating window through continual modification of the fuel schedule to avoid both lean blow out and high metal temperatures. Operationally, this results in a reduction in the NOx emissions, through controlling the unmixedness, and higher engine reliability, through the response of the algorithm to flame stability. Combining these advantages the control algorithm can deliver reliable engine operation on variable composition fuels when using standard combustion hardware achieving single digit NOx emissions not only on natural gas but also on processed landfill gas. This paper describes the control algorithm and presents results of the development from high pressure combustion rig and engine development test to field operation with both natural gas and processed landfill gas.Copyright

Effect of Change in Fuel Compositions and Heating Value on Ignition and Performance for Siemens SGT-400 Dry Low Emission Combustion System

The influence of changes in fuel composition and heating value on the performance of an industrial gas turbine combustor was investigated. The combustor tested was a single cannular combustor for Siemens SGT-400 13.4 MW dry low emission (DLE) engine. Ignition, engine starting, emissions, combustion dynamics and flash back through burner metal temperature monitoring were among the parameters investigated to evaluate the impact of fuel flexibility on combustor performance. Lean ignition and extinction limits were measured for three fuels with different heat values in term of Wobbe Index (WI): 25, 28.9 and 45 MJ/Sm 3 (natural gas). The test results show that the air fuel ratio (AFR) at lean ignition/extinction limits decreases and the margin between the two limits tends to be smaller as fuel heat value decreases. Engine start tests were also performed with a lower heating value fuel and results were found to be comparable to those for engine starting with natural gas. The combustor was further tested in a high pressure air facility at real engine operating conditions with different fuels covering WIs from 17.5 to 70 MJ/Sm 3 . The variation in fuel composition and heating value was achieved in a gas mixing plant by blending natural gas with CO2, CO, N2 and H2 (for the fuel with WI lower than natural gas) and C 3 H 8 (for the fuel with WI higher than natural gas). Test results show that a benefit in NOx reduction can be seen for the lower WI fuels without H2 presence in the fuel and there are no adverse impacts on combustor performance except for the requirement of higher fuel supply pressure, however, this can be easily resolved by minor modification through the fuel injection design. Test results for the H2 enriched and higher WI fuels show that NOx, combustion dynamics and flash back have been adversely affected and major change in burner design is required. For the H2 enriched fuel, the effect of CO and H2 on combustor performance was also investigated for the fuels having a fixed WI of 29 MJ/Sm 3

Biodiesel as an Alternative Fuel in Siemens DLE Combustors: Atmospheric and High Pressure Rig Testing

Atmospheric and high pressure rig tests were conducted to investigate the feasibility of using biodiesel as an alternative fuel to power industrial gas turbines in one of the world’s leading Dry Low Emissions (DLE) combustion systems, the SGT-100. At the same conditions, tests were also carried out for mineral diesel to provide reference information to evaluate biodiesel as an alternative fuel. In the atmospheric pressure rig tests, the likelihood of the machine lighting was identified based on the measured probability of the ignition of a single combustor. Lean ignition and extinction limits at various air temperatures were also investigated with different air assist pressures. The ignition test results reveal that reliable ignition can be achieved with biodiesel across a range of air mass flow rates and air fuel ratios. In the high pressure rig tests, emissions and combustion dynamics were measured for various combustor air inlet pressures, temperatures, combustor wall pressure drops and flame temperatures. These high pressure rig results show that biodiesel produced less NOx than mineral diesel. The test results indicate that the Siemens DLE combustion system can be adapted to use biodiesel as an alternative fuel without major modification.Copyright

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Fuel–Air Mixing in a Radial Swirler Slot of a Dry Low Emission Gas Turbine Combustor

This paper presents the results of an investigation in which the fuel/air mixing process in a single slot within the radial swirler of a dry low emission (DLE) combustion system is explored using air/air mixing. Experimental studies have been carried out on an atmospheric test facility in which the test domain is a large-scale representation of a swirler slot from a Siemens proprietary DLE combustion system. Hot air with a temperature of 300 °C is supplied to the slot, while the injected fuel gas is simulated using air jets with temperatures of about 25 °C. Temperature has been used as a scalar to measure the mixing of the jets with the cross-flow. The mixture temperatures were measured using thermocouples while Pitot probes were used to obtain local velocity measurements. The experimental data have been used to validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) mixing model. Numerical simulations were carried out using CFD software ansys-cfx. Due to the complex three-dimensional flow structure inside the swirler slot, different Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) turbulence models were tested. The shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model was observed to give best agreement with the experimental data. The momentum flux ratio between the main air flow and the injected fuel jet, and the aerodynamics inside the slot were both identified by this study as major factors in determining the mixing characteristics. It has been shown that mixing in the swirler can be significantly improved by exploiting the aerodynamic characteristics of the flow inside the slot. The validated CFD model provides a tool which will be used in future studies to explore fuel/air mixing at engine conditions.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Fuel-Air Mixing in a Radial Swirler Slot of a Dry Low Emission Gas Turbine Combustor

This paper presents the results of an investigation in which the fuel/air mixing process in a single slot within the radial swirler of a dry low emission (DLE) combustion system is explored using air/air mixing. Experimental studies have been carried out on an atmospheric test facility in which the test domain is a large-scale representation of a swirler slot from a Siemens DLE SGT-400 combustion system. Hot air with a temperature of 300°C is supplied to the slot, while the injected fuel gas is represented using air jets with temperatures of about 25°C. Temperature has been used as a scalar to measure the mixing of the jets with the cross-flow. The mixture temperatures were measured using thermocouples while Pitot probes were used to obtain local velocity measurements. The experimental data have been used to validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) mixing model.Numerical simulations were carried out using CFD software ANSYS-CFX. Due to the complex three-dimensional flow structure inside the swirler slot, different RANS turbulence models were tested. The shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model was observed to give best agreement with the experimental data. The momentum flux ratio between the main air flow and the injected fuel jet, and the aerodynamics inside the slot, were both identified by this study as major factors in determining the mixing characteristics. It has been shown that mixing in the swirler can be significantly improved by exploiting the aerodynamic characteristics of the flow inside the slot. The validated CFD model provides a tool which will be used in future studies to explore fuel/air mixing at engine conditions.Copyright

Extension of Fuel Flexibility in the Siemens Dry Low Emissions SGT-300-1S to Cover a Wobbe Index Range of 15 to 49 MJ/Sm3

The extension of gas fuel flexibility in the Siemens SGT-300 single shaft (SGT-300-1S) is reported. A successful development program has increased the capability of the Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery, Lincoln (SITL) dry low emissions (DLE) burner configuration to a fuel range covering a Wobbe index (WI) from 15 to 49 MJ/Sm3. The WI reported in this paper is at a 15 °C fuel temperature. The standard SGT-300-1S SITL DLE combustion hardware allows for gas and liquid fuels within a specified range typically associated with natural gas and diesel, respectively. The range of the WI associated with natural gas is 37–49 MJ/Sm3. Field operation of the standard production SGT-300-1S has confirmed the reliable operation with an extension to the fuels range to include processed landfill gas (PLG) from 30 to 49 MJ/Sm3. The further extension of the fuel range for the SGT-300-1S SITL DLE combustion system was achieved through high pressure testing of a single combustion system at engine operating conditions and representative fuels. The variations in the fuel heating value were achieved by blending natural gas with diluent CO2 and/or N2. Various diagnostics were used to assess the performance of the combustion system, including the measurement of combustion dynamics, temperature, fuel supply pressure, and the emissions of NOx, CO, and unburned hydrocarbons (UHCs). The results of the testing showed that the standard production burner can operate for a fuel with a WI as low as 23 MJ/Sm3, which corresponds to 35% CO2 (by volume) in the fuel. This range can be extended to 15 MJ/Sm3 (54.5% CO2 in the fuel) with only minor modification to control losses through the burner and to maintain similar fuel injection characteristics. The SITL DLE combustion system is able to cover a WI range of 15 to 49 MJ/Sm3 in two configurations. The results of testing showed a lowering in the WI, by diluting with CO2 and/or N2, so that a benefit in the NOx reduction is observed. This decrease in the WI may lead to an increased requirement of the fuel supply pressure.