Providing gas turbine combustion chambers with Helmholtz-resonators is a promising approach for extending the operating range of gas turbines towards higher thermal power input whilst minimizing the risk of thermoacoustic instabilities. The work currently being reported gives an overview of experimental and computational analyses carried out for a full annular combustor test-rig located at Gioia del Colle in Italy. The thermoacoustic stability characteristics of this test-rig were thoroughly analyzed both for a base configuration without Helmholtz-resonators and for an extended configuration with 14 Helmholtz-resonators. An increase of power input to the combustor by 8.5–20% can be realized when the test-rig is equipped with resonators. The experimental analyses are reproduced by a computational model.
Based on the characteristics of turbulent combustion in lean-premix combustion chambers, this paper presents a combustion model which solves transport equations for six chemical species. The source terms are calculated by probability weighted integration of 35 elementary reaction rates. The model presented here does not include any adjustable parameters. Therefore, it is universal in its character for conditions of highly turbulent premixed lean to stoichiometric combustion.
The model is applicable to fuel compositions including methane, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen. The application is shown for a test case burning methane in lean-premixed mode.
This paper presents the application of a detailed combustion model for turbulent premixed combustion to a swirl-stabilized premix burner. Computations are carried out for atmospheric pressure and elevated pressure of 9 atm. Results of computations for atmospheric pressure are compared to experimental data. The combustion model is of the joint-pdf type. The model is based on the characteristics of turbulent combustion under conditions typical for gas turbine burners. It incorporates a systematically reduced six-step reaction mechanism yielding direct computation of radical concentrations via transport equations or steady-state assumptions. The model is able to simulate combustion of fuel gases containing methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and water. It is therefore applicable to both methane and low-BTU fuel gas combustion. Based on computed radical concentrations, a post-processor for NOx formation is applied. This post-processor considers thermal formation of nitrogen oxides and NO formation via the nitrous oxide path.
The present paper reports a detailed technological assessment of two concepts of integrated micro gas turbine and high temperature (SOFC) fuel cell systems. The first concept is the coupling of micro gas turbines and fuel cells with heat exchangers, maximising availability of each component by the option for easy stand-alone operation. The second concept considers a direct coupling of both components and a pressurised operation of the fuel cell, yielding additional efficiency augmentation. Based on state-of-the-art technology of micro gas turbines and solid oxide fuel cells, the paper analyses effects of advanced cycle parameters based on future material improvements on the performance of 300–400 kW combined micro gas turbine and fuel cell power plants. Results show a major potential for future increase of net efficiencies of such power plants utilising advanced materials yet to be developed. For small sized plants under consideration, potential net efficiencies around 70% were determined. This implies possible power-to-heat-ratios around 9.1 being a basis for efficient utilisation of this technology in decentralised CHP applications.
The capability of gas turbines to burn low-BTU biogenic fuels besides natural gas becomes an increasingly important feature for small sized plants. This is particularly the case for micro gas turbines targeting decentralized applications. The energy conversion of biomass to electricity can be improved by integration of a micro gas turbine with the biogas generation process. Such an integrated plant concept is presented in this paper after a general overview of low-BTU fuels suitable for utilization in gas turbines has been given. The advantages are a more efficient biomass conversion and an extension of biomass digestion to biomass with reduced biochemical availability such as mildly lignocellulosic biomass. The effects of biogas utilization on the characteristics of operation of a representatively modeled microturbine are investigated in this paper. Particularly, contributions to the efficiency decrease occuring when biogas is burnt instead of natural gas are analyzed. Further, an overview of the effects of low-BTU fuels on gas turbine materials and pollutant emissions is given. The change of emissions of nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide is analyzed with a combustion model based on a systematically reduced 6-step reaction mechanism. This study was conducted for an advanced combustor design applying ceramic materials and a transpiration cooling technology.
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