Progress in Burner Design Using Additive Manufacturing With a Monolithic Approach and Added Features

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising technology for producing better burners. Achieving better energy efficiency on a system level (CO2 emissions) and lower NOx, particulate emissions and CO, as directed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards, is a priority for all aircraft and aircraft engine manufacturers. At the current state-of-the-art, technologies like Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) offer a certain freedom of design one can make good use of. Instead of starting from an established conventional burner design and improve it using AM, the proposed approach in this paper is to define from scratch a design that maximises the potential benefits of AM towards a better burner. However, there are a few playing rules one must be aware of. The design, manufacturing and testing of a staged premixed burner with separate injection ramp was done as the follow-up of paper GT2018-75165 where new swirler shapes had been assessed. For this paper a monolithic, profiled burner design for premixed injection was tested for low-emission combustion. Additional features were included and assessed. Separately, regarding the fuel injection system a new design of a fuel ramp disconnected from the burner is proposed in a first approach, which combines the injection and pre-heating of the fuel. It serves as a fuel splitter (burning fuel / bypassed flow), as a miniature heat exchanger and as a multipoint injection ramp. A merging of the monolithic burner and the injection ramp is planned at a later stage. The fuel injection system using AM parts is assessed separately from the burner in a first approach. It suggests some novel technical solutions regarding 3D printed burner designs. Early combustion experiments are described and supported with function tests using a carefully selected instrumentation.

Forcing Pulsations by Means of a Siren for Gas Turbine Applications

“…This experiment is called "Kölner Dom" in tribute to the Cathedral of Cologne that happens to match well the typical pattern of the scanned frequency. The method is applied to an experimental combustion test rig called "the emootion facility" [38] equipped with an additively manufactured burner made up of Inconel 718 called "CBO4" [39]. The combination of both, as well as the specific instrumentation, are presented in a separate paper [40].…”

“…The burner model CBO4 is a compact two-stage premixed module produced with additive manufacturing (selective laser melting of Inconel 718 powder), operated with propane mixture at 7 kW under 2.3 bar abs. Details about the test rig and burner can be found in References [39,43]. The siren releases into the ambient a bleed performed in the plenum.…”

Combined Optic-Acoustic Monitoring of Combustion in a Gas Turbine

“…The air-propane premixed 2-stage burner used in this study (Figure 8) was presented in paper [2]. It was realised using additive manufacturing, testing and validating new methods for fuel injection and mixing, and onboard instrumentation.…”

“…The technical choices regarding the sensor, the spectral bands, and the probe assembly are detailed with focus on the Red-Green-Blue (RGB) method. An intermediate combustion pressure rig is presented, using the burner detailed in paper [2]. The setup is designed to produce in well-controlled and repeatable manner ignition sequences, steady operation, and combustion instability.…”

heat treatment effect on the structure formation of directionally solidified nickel alloy after slm

“…In addition, it becomes possible to quickly manufacture parts upon request, if necessary, to replace them [7,8]. In the case of using such parts in engine elements, it is possible to achieve greater fuel efficiency and less emission by creating more optimal conditions for the movement of gas flows and fuel combustion [9]. For the hot part, the most demanded material is nickel alloys.…”