THE INFLUENCE OF THE AIR PREHEATING
TEMPERATURE UPON THE ATMOSFERIC
COMBUSTION WITH LARGE EXCESS AIR
Ștefan GRIGOREAN, Gheorghe DUMITRAŞCU
”Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University, 43, D. Mangeron Boulevard, Iaşi 700050, Romania
Abstract. The paper presents the simulation of
the atmospheric combustion intended to be used
in closed solar hybrid gas turbine engines. The
simulation, performed in ANSYS numerical
codes, considered the following assumptions:
· air pre-heating above 800 K,
· excess air from 3 to 5 in order to assure
the maximum combustion temperature
below 1800 K,
· different air primary, secondary and
dilution ratios.
The simulation showed the combustion
temperature field, the flame OH concentration
field, the exhaust gases composition fields, the
gases velocity field, the gases pressure field. The
simulation showed the influence of the air
pre-heating temperature upon the atmospheric
combustion spatial features.
Keywords: simulation, atmosferic combustion,
high air preheating temperature, combustion
features
1.INTRODUCTION
Compared to fossilfuels, renewable energy
resources present an inherent disadvantage: their
intermittent nature. However concentrated solar
power (CSP) is a very attractive electricity
generation technology, compared to other
renewable electricity generation systems,
because of its ability to incorporate a gas
turbine.[1]
The project idea is to design a combustor
suitable for Solar Hybrid Closed Cycle Power
System, which will be able to simulate the
combustion process at atmospheric pressure,
using some variable parameters like: preheated
air up to 600 Celsius degrees or above, air fuel
ratio and using several combustion equivalence
ratios for combustion of some typical gaseous
fuels with composition prepared by a controlled
mixing of natural gas with H2, CO, CO2, N2.
Gas turbine combustion processes for CCS
technology and other low carbon emissions
technologies related studies have been realised
in theoretical and experimental researches.[2-10]
With more details, Ghenai [6] used a numerical
investigation of the combustion of Syngas, fuel
mixture in a gas turbine can combustor. Liu et al.
[8] conducted a numerical study of the
thermodynamic and basic combustion
characteristics of oxy-fuel combustion in gas
turbine related conditions using detailed
chemical kinetics and thermodynamic
calculations.Xiong et. Al. [9] performed
numerical simulations of a gas turbine
combustor for medium/low heating value syngas
fuel for two design schemes.
Although there is a consistent use of CFD
to analyse a large range of combustion related
issues, there is still a lack of published works on
numerical modeling of oxy-fuel combustion.In
the majority of the cases, the numerical model
simulated was not validated using experimental
data. [1]
This article adresses a CFD study of a
combustion process for reduced carbon
emissions.The designed can-type combustor
used for predictions of temperature profiles and
gaseous species concentrations in various
locations is the one that will be used to validate
the numerical simulations in the laboratory
demonstrations.
2.PROBLEM STATEMENT
The emissions regulations became more
restrictive by the 1980’s, and this required
innovative means to control NOx formation in
gas turbine combustors, other than water and
steam injection.Starting the 1990’s appears
system which develops lean premixed
combustion, targeting emissions of NOx and
CO below 25 ppm and 50 ppm respectively.
CFD may support the preliminary design phase
of, virtually, any new combustion
device.Straightforward CFD analysus can also
be employed to evaluate basic oxy-combustion
strategies on existing gas turbines power
installations.
The combustion demonstrator will be
designed for 10 – 15 kW thermal power,
3
equivalent to oxidization of around 1÷1.5 m N /h
natural gas, including four main parts (Fig 1a
and 1.b): the combustor allowing modification of
combustion operational parameters, the gaseous
3.MODEL
The combustor was designed using CATIA.
In ansys was recreated the inner area of the
combustor, the inlet of primary and secondary
air, fuel inlet, and exhaust gas collector.
To define the inlet boundaries for primary
air, secondary air, as well as for fuel injection
were adopted mass flow inlet.Using this type of
boundary allows an constant mass flow rate for
all main fluids involved in process, and that
allows total pressure to fluctuate according to the
inner solution [1].Flow direction was set to
Normal to Boundary Condition.
Mesh used in simulation was generated
using Ansys.It is based on 1623505 elements,
with element size between 0.3÷0.4 mm.
fuel subsystem used to prepare the fuel
composition, by mixing different gaseous fuels
(natural, shale gas and biogas), the air
pre-heating sub-system controlling the
combustion air temperature and, and the real
time instrumentation sub-system assuring
characterization of combustion. The combustor
has three flow zones: the first ensures the mixing
of gaseous fuel with primary air (equivalence
ratio 0.2 to 1); the second one completes the
combustion process by adding extra cooling and
dilution necessary air (equivalence ratio up to 4)
by three serial air injection holes through the
flame tube; the third one allows measurements
of the flue gases composition in six successive
flow sections by a quadrupole mass spectrometer
and also to find out if the CO oxidation is
finished.
The simulations was carried out using
various air preheat, from 300K÷800K, while fuel
temperature at the inlet was set to 300K. Air/fuel
ratio was used between 3÷5 to ensure that the
maximum combustion temperature is below
1800K. Also, to control the temperature near the
combustion chamber wall was used a high ratio
between primary and secondary air, which is set
between 0.2÷0.4.
The simulations concluded to results which
are usefull in the design of the combustor
demonstrator, since now is clear what
dimensions should be used to obtain a proper
combustion chamber, without excessive heat
near the wall.
4.RESULTS

In next images are presented results obtained in simulation with air/fuel ratio=4, primary
air/secondary air ratio=0.2, and preheated air at 800K.

Temperature field Velocity field

CO Mass Fraction CO2 Mass Fraction

O Mass Fraction OH Mass Fraction

In next images are presented results obtained in simulation with air/fuel ratio=5, primary
air/secondary air ratio=0.2, and preheated air at 800K.
 Temperature field Velocity field

CO Mass fraction CO2 Mass fraction

O Mass fraction OH Mass fraction

In next images are presented results obtained in simulation with air/fuel ratio=5, primary
air/secondary air ratio=0.4, and preheated air at 800K.

Temperature field Velocity field

 CO Mass Fraction
O Mass Fraction
4.CONCLUSION
Concidering the results, the
primary/secondary air ratio in value of 0.2 is
optimal because ensures ʎ=1.05 in the burning
area, which is in character with other researches
in this domain.
Conducted simulations prove that the
combustion chamber design is optimal, avoiding
this way high temperature near the wall of
combustion chamber, which it is created using
AISI 310, suitable to be used at intermittent or
continous service, and with a good weldability.
Regarding the length of the burning volume,
the geometry of combustion chamber it was
chosen correctly ensuring this way that the
combustion process is taken place in the
designed area, and the burning is finished before
exhaust gas collector, which incorporates probes
for the mass spectrometer.
The secondary air induction to the flame
ensures a concentration of burning process in the
area where take place the injection of fuel and
primary air.
After reviewing the results of all
simulations conducted, it is very important to
continue with experimental tests on the created
combustor demonstrator, to validate the results
obtained in theory.
CO2 Mass Fraction
OH Mass Fraction
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