Lecture 11.

Turbulent Combustion in Gas Turbine Engines

X.S. Bai

TC in Gas Turbines

Content

Development of gas turbine

Types of gas turbines
Gas turbine cycle
Gas turbine combustor
New gas turbine combustors for clean environment

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TC in Gas Turbines

History of gas turbine/jet propulsion engine

Hero of Alexandria, Egypt
130 BC

Chinese solid fuel rocket, 1000 AD

Leonardo Da Vincis chimney jack, 1500
Giovanni Branca, Italy, 1629

Isaac Newtons steam wagon, 1687

Johan Barber made first patent, 1791
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TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine for modern aviation

Frank Whittle, 1930, UK, submitted a patent for a gas turbine for jet propulsion
Power Jets Ltd got contract from Air Minsistry
In May 1941, the Whittle W1 engine made its first flight

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TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine for modern aviation

Gloster Whittle E28

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TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine for modern aviation

Hans von Ohain and Max Hahn, 1936, Germany, submitted a patent
for a gas turbine for jet propulsion
Ernst Heinkel Aircraft Company made first true jet propulsion aircraft in 1939, Aug - Sept

Secundo Campiri, Italy, made a gasturbine engine for the CC-2 aircraft, 1940
American (with the help of the British) made W.IX engine in 1941, GE
Later Westinghouse Corporation made contiuous development

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TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine for modern aviation

Ohain

Whittle

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TC in Gas Turbines

Rolls-Royce Today

aero-engines
marine propulsion systems
energy business
Annual sales of over 4.5 billion
Orders of over 13 billion

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TC in Gas Turbines

Newtons 3rd Law: principle of propulsion

MV

Equilibrium

Reaction

Action

Thrust = Mass x Velocity (MV)

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TC in Gas Turbines

Propeller versus Jet Propulsion

Mvjet

Propeller - moves
LARGE MASS of
air at low velocity
Mvaircraft

Thrust = M(vaircraft - vjet)

Thrust = m(Vaircraft - Vjet)

mVjet
mVaircraft

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Jet - moves small

mass of gas at HIGH
VELOCITY

TC in Gas Turbines

Jet Engine Layout

Compressor

Combustion
Chamber

Exhaust
Nozzle

mVaircraft
mVjet

Shaft

Turbine

Straight-through configuration

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TC in Gas Turbines

Different Jet Engine Types

Civil turbofan Trent

Military turbofan EJ200

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Reverse Thrust
Net 25% to 30% thrust

85% thrust
15% thrust

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TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine cycle: Brayton cycle

40

Pressure
(atmospheres)

Expansion/
Power
0
1500

Temperature
(degrees C)
0
intake
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compression combustion

exhaust

TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine cycle: Brayton cycle

TR: temperature ratio a-b

PR: pressure ratio a-b

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TC in Gas Turbines

Trend of gas turbine development

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Gas turbine running conditions

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Gas turbine combustor

Stright pipe
Diffuser
Flame stabilization
Optimal air supply

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Combustor Operation

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Jet Engine Layout

Can combustor

Whittle W1 engine, 1941

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TC in Gas Turbines

Turbulent flame shape and flame height (3)

order of estimation

During time t, fuel molecule is convected

from inlet to the tip of flame at a speed U,
and oxygen molecule is transport by
turbulence from air stream to the flame tip
at a speed u.

H
t

2R
H

H
R

U
u'
RU
R

u'
I

I=u/U: intensity of turbulence

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TC in Gas Turbines

Recall: Laminar flame shape and flame height - order of estimation

During time t, fuel molecule is convected

from inlet to the tip of flame at a speed U,
and oxygen molecule is diffused from air
stream to the flame tip. D is diffusion coef.

U
2R

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H
R2
t

U
D
R 2U
H
D

TC in Gas Turbines

Dependence of flame height

on injection speed

U
2R

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Dependence of flame height

on burner diameter

laminar

turbulent

U
R
2R
...

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Jet Engine Layout

Annular

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cannular

TC in Gas Turbines

Combustor Operation
Primary zone
Dilution zone
Intermediate
zone

Fuel spray
nozzle

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Reverse flow combustor

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Development of modern gas turbine for

clean environment

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TC in Gas Turbines

General consideration
30

temperature
range for
low
emissions

80

25
20

60

NOx
15

CO
40

10
20

0
1600

1700

1800

1900

2000

primary temperature, K

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TC in Gas Turbines

oxides of nitrogen, ppmv

carbon monoxide, ppmv

100

Other cocnepts
Variable geometry
Dry low NOx (DLN) combustion & lean prevaporized premixed
(LPP) combustion
Humid air combustion
Rich burner, quick quench, lean burn (RQL) (premixed)
Catalytic combustion
Flameless combustion

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Diffusion Flames

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FLOX

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Flameless: air staged combustion

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Flames and flameless

flames

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FLOX

TC in Gas Turbines

Flames and FLOX

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Flames and flameless

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TC in Gas Turbines