See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/267608017

Aerodynamic Analysis Using CFD for Gas Turbine Combustion Chamber

Conference Paper · January 2007

DOI: 10.1115/POWER2007-22181

CITATIONS READS

4 1,801

4 authors, including:

Harley Alencar Marco A.R. Nascimento

5 PUBLICATIONS   8 CITATIONS   
Universidade Federal de Itajubá (UNIFEI)
56 PUBLICATIONS   320 CITATIONS   
SEE PROFILE
SEE PROFILE

Osvaldo J. Venturini
Universidade Federal de Itajubá (UNIFEI)
111 PUBLICATIONS   2,006 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Ethanol-air flames propagation and supression View project

Energia Geotérmica Alternativas Tecnológicas para Implantação da Energia Geotérmica Híbrida no Brasil a partir de Fontes de Baixa Temperatura View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Harley Alencar on 01 March 2017.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Proceedings of POWER2007
ASME Power 2007
July 17-19, 2007, San Antonio, Texas

POWER2007-22181

AERODYNAMIC ANALYSIS USING CFD FOR GAS TURBINE COMBUSTION

CHAMBER
Lucilene O. Rodrigues, Harley S. Alencar, Marco A. R. Nascimento,
Osvaldo J. Venturini
NEST / UNIFEI, BPS Av., 1303, Zipcode 37500-903, Itajubá, MG, Brazil
lucilener@unifei.edu.br, haarley@terra.com.br, marcoantonio@unifei.edu.br, osvaldo@unifei.edu.br

1 Copyright © 2007 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm

 ABSTRACT
In the past few years, with the development of advanced
numerical computational codes, numerical simulation became a
promising option to developing and improving the technology
in different fields. The obtained results by simulations are used
to get important information during the design phase or
optimization of industrial equipment. Its employment generates
reliable results at low cost due to the reduced number of
experiments as well as the opportunity to develop new products
and perform many simulations before its production. However,
the numerical simulation credibility can only be verified when
compared to the obtained results by experiments.
This work aims to present and evaluate different
aerodynamics models applied to combustion chambers using a
CFD tool. In addition, aerodynamic analysis is made in a model
of combustion chamber, where the flow is simulated with
successive refining of the mesh as part of its validation process.
For it, it is used a Low Nox Emission Combustion Chamber
from Floxcom project as reference to validate turbulence
models. Once that it is done, the selected turbulence model
with satisfactory precision is used to describe the aerodynamic
behavior of an annular combustion chamber from velocity and
pressure distribution, which are important parameters to set
load losses and recirculation intensity, which can affect the
complex phenomenon of combustion.
INTRODUCTION
The area of computational mechanic tries to simulate
several physical phenomena using a systematic procedure that
it involves engineering, mathematics and computational
science. The physical phenomena can be the most varied, going
from the structural simulation to the simulation of fluids and
gases, or even electric circuits.
The numerical simulation of a process or product has a
very big impact, due to the great advantages that can be
provided in the development phases, improvements and
optimization of the same ones.
The numerical simulation supplies satisfactory results with
low cost, due to the reduced number of experiments, offering
opportunities to develop new products and to provide
improvements in existing products.
The credibility of the numerical simulation is only verified
after its validation, in other words, when it is compared the
simulated results with the experimental data.
The correct use of the simulation toll is very important to
obtain a successful description of physical phenomenon. So,
the aerodynamic research for combustion chambers represents
an important tool for the engineering allied the reserches on
combustion model, heat transfer by radiation and NOx models.
In the present work, the aerodynamics of a combustion
chamber is analyzed, being used only turbulence models for the
description of the flow field.
The results from the simulation have been compared to the
experimental ones in a steady state and in design condition.
Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm
A case study was presented for a combustion chamber of a
micro gas turbine instrumented and installed in the test bench at
Laboratory of Thermal Systems (NEST), located in the Federal
University of Itajubá (UNIFEI), Brazil. The results show the
influence of the recirculation, pressure field and velocity
vectors in the behavior of the combustion chamber.
The function of these simulations is to evaluate the
potential changes in original project of combustion chamber to
be adequated its operation with different fuels and the main
impacts to technological and environment conditions.
STATE OF THE ART
Small gas turbine attractiveness is based mainly on the
possibilities of getting satisfactory performance without a
drastic increase in the cycle pressure ratio and maximum
temperatures levels, thus avoiding the increase in its
components costs.
In Brazil, together with other energy sources, for instance,
wind, solar and biomass, the use of small gas turbines has been
objective of great interest.
Among the components of small gas turbines, the
combustion chamber is one of the most important because it is
responsible to transfer the internal energy of the fuel to flow
stream in turbine entrance.
The combustion chamber for small gas turbines has some
limitations, such as: the instability of the flame; the
flammability limits; the nature of the flame; and the high
emissions ratios.
Due to these limitations, the development of high
efficiency combustion chambers has been goal to many
researchers. Moreover, the start point is the aerodynamic
analysis and after the combustion process and its chemical
kinetic. The aerodynamic study is important to identify regions
with high pressure or high temperature. While the high pressure
indicates the pressure lost, the high temperature indicates
regions with high flame diffusion, which can result in damages
to the mechanical resistance for walls and the high emission of
pollutant.
Thus, a good aerodynamic project, guarantee a good
efficiency combustion. To satisfy the demands for new
products, the gas turbines combustion chambers should be
analyzed in less time and with more precision. For it, the
analysis with high precision and efficiency is a vital strategy to
reduce costs and processing time.
The projects of more efficient combustion chambers with
smaller emissions have been possible due to the development
of faster computers and mode efficient numeric models and, in
a general way, improved it constructive viability.
The numerical simulation with more creditability is the
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), where differences
among turbulence models used for combustion chambers have
been featured by many researchers, with prominence for k-ε
Model, RNG k-ε Model, and Shear Stress Model (SST).
The RNG k-ε model is a renormalization of k-ε model and
can identify the small turbulence scalars together the higher
2 Copyright © 2007 by ASME
 turbulence than the k-ε model. The Shear-Stress-Transport in other words, it can have temperature distribution problems in
(SST) model is useful to flow where is necessary a highly its outlet.
accurate prediction about the amount of flow separation under
adverse pressure gradients by the inclusion of transport effects
into the formulation of the eddy-viscosity.
Turrell et al (2004) has conducted CFD validation in
relation to the combustion chamber and turbine, using a Dry
Low Emission combustion chamber (DLE). The turbulence
models used are the k-ε model and RSM.
According to Fig. 1, where the magnitude of the tangential
velocity is shown in a tubular combustion chamber, it can be
verified that the RSM model has a larger resolution than the k-ε
model, in other words, the results obtained are more refined. It
helps identify in full detail the variations, so much of velocity,
as well as of pressure and temperature. A disadvantage of this
model is the high complexity of their equations. The result
obtained by Turrell et al (2004) is the confirmation of the
works of Shih et al (1998), who showed that the RSM model is
able to capture the recirculation areas and their structures with
larger precision, when compared to the k-ε model.

Figure 2. Details for velocity vector for three combustion

chambers, Cameretti et al (2004).

Alencar et al (2004) studied an annular combustion

Figure 1. Tangential velocity along diametral plane in tubular
combustion chamber. Comparation between RSM and k-ε Model,
Turrell et al (2004).
Cameretti et al (2004) present a study of three types of
combustion chambers. Among them: a conventional annular
chamber with diffusive flame; a chamber with poor pre-mixed
flame with radial swirlers and a tubular chamber of type RQL.
The turbulence model utilized is the k-ε.
Figure 2 shows a detail the the velocity vectors in the most
representative areas of each chamber. The annular chamber
presents a good penetration of the secondary air in the primary
flow and can contribute to a complete combustion. The
premixed chamber can be examined in the primary area with
reference the interaction between the pilot's flow and the line of
the premixed flame, which is responsible for the ignition of the
mixture. The RQL chamber shows that the distribution of flow
in the final area needs more attention due to an insufficient
vorticity to reduce the temperature of flame in the primary area,
chamber model T62 T.321 from Solar Turbines using the
following turbulence models: k-ε, RNG k-ε and RSM. This
work shows that secondary air, which is taken from lateral
holes in liner, can be used to the cooling the walls and to
dissipate the hot gas, once high recirculation is formed near to
the nozzles and in exhaustion. This behavior is due to the
turbulence and can affect the residence time for combustion. If
the recirculation is increased, the residence time is increased
too.
According to Gosselin et al (2000), it is possible to
simulate the full geometry considering only one part, which
depends on the number of nozzles. So, Alencar et al (2004) use
a combustion chamber equal to 1/6 of full geometry, because
there are six nozzles.
In Alencar et al (2005), it is showed that the secondary air
from lateral holes in liner can affect too the position of flame in
relation to the nozzles. The nozzles from model T62 T.321
from Solar Turbines have an inclination equal to 60° in relation
to the main axis and can generate a secondary rotative flow in
relation to the main axis. Thus, the residence time is affect too,
as well as the stabilized of flame.
In Darbyshire et al (2006), it is used a combustion
chamber model Siemens v94.3 A, which has a lean premixed
flame and the turbulence model RNG k-ε. Darbyshire et al
(2006) studied the conditions of the entrance and the
exhaustion in relation to the air/fuel ratio, mainly the effects
due to the premixed fluid and the temperature in the entrance.
In Fig. 3 is shown a comparative analyses among the

3 Copyright © 2007 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm

 turbulence models k-ε, o RNG k-ε and RSM in this combustion
chamber.
Figure.3. Comparative analysis about turbulence models for
combustion chamber from, Darbyshire et al (2006).
In Fig. 3, it is possible to identify that the best definition
for pressure distribution is obtained by models RSM and RNG
k-ε. For the RNG k-ε model, the convergence is archived more
quickly.
In Parente et al (2004), it is studied small gas turbine (100
kWe) combustion chamber, using the turbulence models k-ε
and Reynolds Stress Model by FLUENT®. It is identified in
Fig. 4 that the features for the flow in case 1 are different in
relation to the case 2, because the intensity of vortex. In the
case 2 using Reynolds Stress Model, it is seen that the
dimension for central vortex is, approximately, 30 (%) larger
with 30 (%) smaller intensity than case 1. This result shows
that the selection of the turbulence model affects final results
precision.
Figure 4. Results from Parente et al (2004).
From these papers, it is possible to identify the authors use
turbulence models for every cases and different validation
process, which are very useful and can be referenced in the
world to get two important parameters for combustion
chamber: to increase its performance and to reduce its
emission.
From this, this work present a practical methodology to
identify the main parameters, which will be necessary to
adequate an annular combustion chamber from Solar Turbines
Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm
to operate with different fuels, which is a future proposal of
research from NEST.
METHODOLOGY
The methodology proposed by this work, considering the
bibliography review above, intends to divide this study in two
steps:
a) In the first step, it is studied a combustion chamber for
low NOx emission developed by Israel Institute of Technology
et al (2003), where are applied different meshes and turbulence
models (k-ε, RNG k-ε, and SST) to verify their influence in
data obtained, concerning the differences between numerical
data and experimental ones. It is a validation process; and
b) In the second step, the best mesh and turbulence model
are analyzed annular combustion chamber which was
developed by Solar Turbines, whose small gas turbine is
instrumented at Thermal Labor of NEST. The goal is to feature
the flow though velocity and pressure distributions.
It is applied the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), to
study the flows. The basic equation is a Partial Differential
Equation (PDE), whose formulation has been known for 150
years and is named by Navier Stoker’s Equation. This equation
featured the viscous and turbulence effects for every flow.
CFD uses three classical methods: Finite Difference
Method (FDM), Finite Element Method (FEM) and Finite
Volume Method (FVM).
In a general way, CFD has the following advantages in
relation to experimental tests:
a) The reduction of time for tests;
b) Detailed visualization by numerical results using
resources such as animations and three-dimensional images,
that can help to understand physic phenomenon; and
c) Satisfactory precision and reliability for results.
In this work, the modeling and the aerodynamic simulation
were carried out using the software called CFX 5.6®, because
of its library for turbulence models applied to cases with or
without heat transfer, combustion, NOx and CO emission
models. The Finite Volume Method (FVM) is applied because
it has capacity to discretize complex geometries suing non-
structured mesh.
The first step of this work analyses the aerodynamic
behavior using different meshes and turbulence models in a
combustion chamber with low NOx emission from Floxcom
project, Israel Institute of Technology et al (2003). This
validation process uses the geometry, which is shown in Fig. 5.
The geometry of Floxcom is a section that corresponds to
1/12 of full model. It has two inlet air and a inlet fuel
distributed along the transversal plane near the exhaustion.
4 Copyright © 2007 by ASME
 small holes located in radial internal wall, both are near to
nozzles.

Figure 5. Floxcom combustion chamber, credits for Israel Institute

of Technology et al, (2003).
Figure 7. Small gas turbine from Solar Turbines tested, Alencar et
For Floxcom combustion chamber, the mesh used is non-
al. (2005).
structured with tetrahedrical elements. The non-structured mesh
is effective to describe the small spaces and saliencies.
In addition to, it is used a limit layer model with factor of
constant expansion equal to 1.2, using the Exponential Model.
The test fluid used is air in the normal conditions of
temperature and pressure, 25 [ºC] and 1 [atm], respectively.
In this section of model has the following boundary
conditions:
a) Inlet 1 and 2 have air with velocity 10 [m/s];
b) Outlet has air with Relative Average Pressure equal to
zero because it is supposed that the flow is in environment
condition; and
c) The lateral surfaces are set by periodic interfaces in Figure 8. Combustion Chamber, Alencar et al. (2005).
relation to the main axis. The mesh used in this annular combustion chamber has
The convergence condition has the goal error equal to 10-4. 3714540 tetrahedrical volume elements and is non-structured.
The tested geometry of Floxcom is showed in Fig. 6, Figure 9 shows this geometric model with details elaborated at
which was generated by CFX 5.6® at NEST. CFX 5.6®.
Exhaustion air
Compressor inlet air

Inlet air
Figure 6. Combustion chamber modeled. Nozzle of Fuel
The second part of this work is the aerodynamic analysis in Exhaustion
Figure 9. Combustion chamber, Alencar et al. (2005).
the T-62T-32 combustion chamber from Solar Turbines. This
combustion chamber is part of a 50[kW] turbine installed at the
NEST laboratory.
The T-62T-32 engine combustion chamber used by Alencar
et al (2005) is showed in Fig. 7 and 8. This combustion
chamber has 24 lateral holes in liner, six nozzles for fuel and
air with inclination equal to 60° in relation to the main axle.
There are 86 small holes located in radial external wall and 46

5 Copyright © 2007 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm

 The non-structured mesh is effective to describe the small The calculations are conducted in a DELL computer with
spaces and saliencies. It is used a mesh for limit layer with double processor of 2.8 GHz and 3 GBytes of RAM,
factor of constant expansion equal to 1.2, using the Exponential considering a goal error equal to 10-4 for mass flow, velocity,
Model. The test fluid is air in the normal conditions of turbulence and turbulent dissipation energy in CFX 5.6®.
temperature and pressure, 25 [ºC] and 1 [atm], respectively. From validation process using the Floxcom combustion
This one-sixth part of model has the following boundary chamber, there are three meshes (Global Mesh – GM) and
conditions: RNG k-ε as turbulence model, according to Tab. 1 for steady
a) Inlet for air with mass flow 0.1593 [kg/s]; state and in design condition.
b) Inlet for fuel using air with mass flow 0.0019 [kg/s];
Table 1. Global Meshes (GM) tested for Floxcom according to the
c) Outlet has air with Relative Average Pressure zero
convergence condition.
because it is supposed that the flow is in environment Maximum length of
condition; and GM 2.76 GM 2.75 GM 2.70
volume element (mm)
d) The lateral surfaces are set by periodic interfaces in Elements of mesh 817890 826303 869693
relation to the main axis. Number of iterations 120 120 120
In addition, the convergence condition has the goal error
equal to 10-4. In Fig. 10 to Fig. 12, it is presented the longitudinal
In relation to the turbulence models, the k-ε model is the distributions of velocity for the Floxcom combustion chamber
most used model in the CFD calculations and considered using different meshes for turbulence model RNG k-ε to
pattern in a large part of the applications in engineering. It has evaluate the best mesh. These results will be discuss in graphic
numerical stability, robustness and precision, for simulations of form, as follow.
the flow in layers limits. It is a model of two equations, a
relative one to the turbulence, k, and the other one relative to
the dissipation of turbulent energy, ε. More details in
Yadigaroglu et al. (1998).
The RNG k-ε Model is an improved model of k-ε, which is
in a general form that includes flows with rotative fluids and
flows in curved surfaces. It is the renormalization of Navier
Stokes's equations, where the term due to the turbulent flow,
acted by the turbulence, k, and the energy dissipated by the
turbulence, ε, has different constants from the previous model.
More details in Yakhot et al. (1992). Figure 10. Velocity contour for mesh GM 2.76.
Although, the Reynolds Equations Model is appropriate
for turbulent flows in that the viscous effects should be
analyzed in small scales. However, there is a high degree of
complexity of the used mathematics, once that the conservation
equations are calculated by six new equations, incurring a
significant numeric robustness. More details in Clarke e
Wilkers (1989).
The Shear-Stress-Transport (SST) model was designed to
give a highly accurate prediction of the onset and the amount of
flow separation under adverse pressure gradients by the
inclusion of transport effects into the formulation of the eddy- Figure 11. Velocity contour for mesh GM 2.75.
viscosity. This results in a major improvement in terms of flow
separation predictions. The superior performance of this model
has been demonstrated in a large number of validation studies,
Bardina et al (1997). The SST model is recommended for high
accuracy boundary layer simulations.
These models can be applied because they allow study the
flows in curved surfaces that can have rotative fluids locally.

Figure 12. Velocity contour for mesh GM 2.70.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In Fig. 13, it is shown the position of the points CFX
5.6®along of the longitudinal axle of the combustion chamber.,

6 Copyright © 2007 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm

 used to plotter non Dimensional magnitude of velocity, Fig.14,
and to check the numerical values against the experimental
curve in dashed from Israel Institute of Technology et al (2003)
for different global meshes.
The dashed experimental curves (Fig. 14 and Fig. 19) are
obtained by the technique called Particle Image Velocimetry
(PIV), that consists of a mapping in high frequency of the
velocity field in the flow, based on the visualization of the light
laser reflected by particles of low specific mass (alumina or
glycerin, for example) immersed in the flow, Israel Institute of
Technology et al (2003).

Figure 15. Non dimensional deviation for magnitude of velocity

along Floxcom combustion chamber for maximum length of
volume element 2.76 (mm), 2.75 (mm) and 2.70 (mm) for Global
Mesh, in relation to experimental curve in dashed.

In Fig. 15, it is identified that the best mesh is GM 2.75

because of the smaller deviation, whose Averaged Standard
Figure 13. Referenced points in Floxcom combustion chamber.
1,0 Deviation is 0.043. The mesh GM 2.70 is not used because
GM 2.76 GM 2.75 GM 2.70 PIV contributes to large deviation. It is necessary to take care in
0,9
setting of meshes, because it can change the physical behavior.
0,8 Thus, considering this global mesh, it is necessary to
0,7 evaluate the best turbulence model. In Fig. 16 to Fig. 18, they
Velocity Magnitude [1]

0,6
show the velocity contour for Floxcom combustion chamber
using different turbulence models. This results will be discuss
0,5
in graphic form, as follow.
0,4

0,3

0,2

0,1

0,0
0,0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0
x/L
Figure 14. Non dimensional magnitude of velocity along the
referenced points in Floxcom combustion chamber for mesh with
maximum length of volume element 2.76 (mm), 2.75 (mm) and
2.70 (mm) for Global Mesh, in relation to experimental curve in
dashed.
Figure 16. Velocity contour for k-ε Model.
In Fig. 15, it is presented the non dimensional deviation
among the values for three meshes that are tested.

Figure 17. Velocity contour for RNG k-ε Model.

7 Copyright © 2007 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm

 Figure 18. Velocity contour for SST Model.

In Fig. 13, it is shown the position of the points along of

the longitudinal axle of the combustion chamber, used to plotter
non Dimensional magnitude of velocity, Fig.19, and to check
the numerical values against the experimental curve in dashed
from Israel Institute of Technology et al (2003) for different
turbulence models.
It is important to sign that the k-ε model archived the goal
error with 80 iterations, but it is not represent the physical
model, according to Fig. 19, where it is identified its large
deviation for velocity magnitude for this model, Fig. 20.
1,0
PIV RNG
0,9
0,8
Velocity Magnitude [1]
Figure 20. Non dimensional deviation for magnitude of velocity
along Floxcom combustion chamber for different turbulence
models, in relation to experimental curve in dashed.
In Fig. 20, it is identified that the best turbulence model is
SST because of the smaller deviation, whose Averaged
Standard Deviation is 0.040.
The second part of this work permits to get the velocity
and velocity vector for annular combustion chamber from Solar
SST k epsilon Turbines installed at NEST laboratories, using the turbulence
model SST for steady state in design nominal condition.
Figure 21 and 22 present these characteristic velocities for

0,7 aerodynamic analysis with identification of typical flows,

0,6 which are signed by Zones A, B, C and D, as well as the effects
0,5 of the recirculation.
0,4

0,3

0,2
Zone A Zone D
0,1

0,0
0,0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0
x/L
Figure 19. Non dimensional magnitude of velocity along the
referenced points in Floxcom combustion chamber for different
turbulence models, in relation to experimental curve in dashed.
In Fig. 20, it is presented the non dimensional deviation
among the values for different turbulence models.
Zone B Zone C
Figure 21. Velocity contour along longitudinal plane in annular
combustion chamber for small gas turbine at NEST laboratory
using SST model for turbulence with identification of four flows.

In Fig. 21, it is identified four flows: the first is represented

by primary holes near to the nozzles, where a layer of air is
used to cooling the linner walls (zone A); the second is
represented by rotative flow near to the nozzles (zone B); the
third is represented by a jet formed by lateral hole in liner (zone
C); and the fourth is a rotative flow near to the exhaustion
(zone D).
This behavior can be directly associated with the formation
of two distinct regions, each one with a recirculation in the

8 Copyright © 2007 by ASME

Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm

 flow, as it is noticed in Fig. 22. While a recirculation is
concentrated next to the nozzles, one second recirculation is
next to the exhaustion.
Recirculation Recirculation
Figure 22. Velocity vector along longitudinal plane in annular
combustion chamber for small gas turbine at NEST laboratory
using SST model for turbulence.
In Fig. 22, the recirculation located next to the nozzles
creates a region of low pressure, where maybe the flame can be
anchored. In addition, the recirculation next to the exhaustion
can contribute for the dilution of the hot gases produced by the
combustion.
In Fig. 23, it is presented the magnitude of velocity along
the referenced points on longitudinal plane along combustion
chamber, which are shown in Fig. 24. This plane is between
lateral holes for air in liner.
Zone of lateral
holes in Liner
Exhaustion
Zone of nozzles
Figure 23. Non-dimensional magnitude of velocity along
the referenced points in annular combustion chamber from
Solar Turbines using SST model for turbulence.
Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm
Figure 24. Referenced points in annular combustion chamber
from Solar Turbines for referenced length L, Alencar et al (2005).
In Fig. 23, it is noticed that the jet from lateral holes of
liner presents high influence in the field of velocity vector,
mainly in the positions of the points located between
x/L = 0.40 and x/L = 0.60 of the combustion chamber, where
the magnitude of the average velocity of the flow presents great
variation, considering the referenced length L = 159 (mm),
Alencar et al (2004) and Alencar et al (2005).
Moreover, from Fig 23 it is identified that in position x/L =
0.85 in the annular combustion chamber of the Solar Turbines,
the average velocity increases gradually due to reduction in the
transversal section of the flow in the direction of the
exhaustion.
In Fig. 25, it is shown the relative total pressure (relative
static plus relative dynamic pressures) distribution along the
same plane defined by Fig. 24.
Figure 25. Relative total pressure distribution along
longitudinal plane in annular combustion chamber for
small gas turbine at NEST laboratory using SST model for
turbulence.
In Fig 25, it is identified a high pressure gradient in
relation to the position for lateral holes in liner. Because of it, a
jet of air can be formed from casing into liner, whose influence
is known from Fig. 21, 22 and 23 in relation to the recirculation
zones.
In this flow, the Ratio of the Total Pressure Drop across
the combustion chamber to the inlet total pressure (Δp/pinlet) is
near to 0.40.
9 Copyright © 2007 by ASME
 In Fig 26, it is presented the distributions of average
velocity of the flow on two transversal planes in the
combustion chamber, located between positions x/L = 0.25 and
x/L = 0.50, Fig. 24.
Figure 26. Magnitude of average velocity of flow along the
two transversal planes in positions between x/L = 0,25 and
x/L = 0,50 in annular combustion chamber of Solar
Turbines
In Fig. 26, it is identified that there is a secondary flow that
denotes the rotative movement around the main axle of the
chamber, as it is observed by shunting lines of the air jet from
the lateral holes of liner. From this, its possible to increase the
residence time for combustion.
The microturbine used is being instrumented for posterior
experiment including the combustion, what it will allow
comparisons with the simulated results. The experiment will
take care of to Technical Manual Overhaul (1992), “Titan Gas
Turbine T-62T-32 Engine”, Division of International Harwester
Company, San Diego, CA, USA.
CONCLUSIONS
Considering the CFD in several studies about the
combustion and its capacity to get three dimensional
visualization of aerodynamic flow, this work used this tool to
validate some mathematical models in relation to turbulence
flow.
So, it was a combustion chamber of Israel Institute of
Technology to validate the turbulence models and combustion
chamber from Solar Turbines, which is assembled with
instruments at Thermal Labor at Nest, whose main results are:
a) the inclination of nozzles induces the rotary flow, whose
main axis can be coincident to combustor axis and can increase
the residence time for combustion;
b) The lateral holes in the Liner contribute to the dilution
for the hot gas from combustion due to the recirculation, which
also affect the position of flame near to the nozzles due other
recirculation;
c) the cooling for lateral walls, which is a critical factor to
the design of combustion chamber, is influenced by lateral
holes in the liner;
Downloaded From: http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/ on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm
d) The right selection about the turbulence models that are
used in simulation is very important for the success of
modeling. For this, it is necessary to have the knowledge
enough about the physical model studied;
e) From simulation for the Floxcom combustion chamber,
the turbulence model is more satisfactory is SST model,
because of its good precision and its capacity to represent the
physical model, with processing time that is not significantly
bigger than the RNG k-ε model; and
f) the ratio of the total pressure drop in annular combustion
chamber is near to 0,40.
REFERENCES
1. Alencar H. S., Villanova H. F., Antonio Rosa M. N, 2004,
“Preliminary Application of CFX as Tool in the
Aerodynamic Study of Combustion Chamber for Micro
Gas Turbine”, International Conference of Computational
Methods in Sciences and Engineering, Vouliagmeni-
Kavouri, 19-23 August , Attica, Greece.
2. Alencar, H. S., Nascimento, M. A, Villanova, H., 2005,
“Analysis of Flame Behavior in Small Combustion
Chambers Using CFD”, 18th International Congress of
Mechanical Engineering, November 6-11, Ouro Preto,
Minas Gerais, Brazil.
3. Bardina, J.E., Huang, P.G. and Coakley, T.J., 1997,
“Turbulence Modeling Validation Testing and
Development.” NASA Technical Memorandum 110446.
4. Cameretti, M. C., Tuccilo, R., 2004, “Comparing Different
Solutions for the Micro Gas Turbine Combustor”,
Proceeding of ASME Turbo Expo, Power for Land, Sea
and Air, June 14-17,GT2004-53286, Vienna, Austria.
5. Chung T. J., 2002, “Computational Fluid Dynamics”,
Cambridge University Press, UK, ISBN 0-521-59416-2,
p. 1012.
6. Clarke D. S. e Wilkers N. S., 1989, “The Calculation of
Turbulent Flows in Complex Geometries using a
Differential Stress Model”, AERE-R13428.
7. Darbyshire, O. R., Evans, A., Wilson, C. W., Beck, S. B.
M., 2006, “CFD-Based Analisys of Burner Fuel Air
Mixing Over Range of Air Inlet and Fuel Pre-heat
Temperatures for Siemens V94.3A Gas”, Proceeding of
ASME Turbo Expo, Power and Land, Sea and Air, May 8-
13, GT2006-90944, Barcelona, Spain.
8. Gosselin, P., Dechamplain, S. K., Kretschmer, D., 2000,
“Three Dimensional CFD Analisys of a Gas Turbine
Combustion Chamber”, 36th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE
Joint Propulsion Conference an Exhibit, pp11, Huntsville,
Alabama.
9. Israel Institute of Technology, Imperial College of Science
Technology and Medicine (ICSTM), CINAR, Instituto
Superior Tecnico de Portugal (ISTP), IPPT-Pan, ANsaldo
Ricerche Srl, et al, 2003, “FLOXCOM – Low NOx
10 Copyright © 2007 by ASME
 Flameless Oxidation Combustor for High Efficiency Gas
Turbines”, Project n° NNES-1999-20246, Israel, p. 156.
10. Parente, J., Mori, G., Croce, G., 2004, “Micro Gás Turbine
Combustion Chamber Design and CFD Analisys”,
Proceeding of ASME Turbo Expo, Power for Land, Sea
and Air, June 14-17, GT2004-24247, Vienna, Austria.
11. Shih, T. H., Chen, K. H., and Liu, N. NS., 1998, “A Non-
Linear K-epsilon Model for a Turbulent Shear Flows,”
AIAA Paper 98-3893.
12. Turrel, M. D., Stopford, P.J., Syed, K. J., Buchanan, E.,
2004, “CFD Simulation of the Flow Within and
Downstrean of a High-Swirl Lean Premixed Gas Turbine
Combustor”, Proceeding of ASME Turbo Expo, Power
for Land, Sea and Air, June 14-17, GT2004-53112,
Vienna, Austria.
13. Yadigaroglu G. et al., 1998, “Numerical and Experimental
Study of Swirling Flow in a Model Combustor”, Heat
Mass Transfer Journal, Vol. 41, No. 11, pp. 1485-1497.
14. Yakhot V., Orszag S. A., Thangam S., Gatki T. B. and
SPEZIALI C. G., 1992, “Development of Turbulent
Models for Shear Flows by a Double-Expansion
Technique”, Physics of Fluids, Vol. 4, pp. 1510-1520.
15. Technical Manual Overhaul (1992), “ Titan Gas Turbine T-
62T-32 Engine”, Division of international Harwester
Company, San Diego, CA, USA.

11 Copyright © 2007 by ASME

DownloadedViewFrom:
publicationhttp://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/pdfaccess.ashx?url=/data/conferences/power2007/71139/
stats on 02/25/2017 Terms of Use: http://www.asm