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

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

History of gas turbine/jet propulsion engine
Hero of Alexandria, Egypt Chinese solid fuel rocket, 1000 AD
130 BC
Leonardo Da Vinci’s chimney jack, 1500

Giovanni Branca, Italy, 1629

Isaac Newton’s steam wagon, 1687

Johan Barber made first patent, 1791

X.S. Bai 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

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine for modern aviation

Gloster Whittle E28

X.S. Bai 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

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine for modern aviation

Ohain

Whittle

X.S. Bai 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

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Newton’s 3rd Law: principle of propulsion

MV

Equilibrium Reaction Action

Thrust = Mass x Velocity (MV)

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Propeller versus Jet Propulsion

Propeller - moves Mvjet

LARGE MASS of
air at low velocity

Mvaircraft
Thrust = M(vaircraft - vjet)

Thrust = m(Vaircraft - Vjet)

Jet - moves small

mVjet mass of gas at HIGH
mVaircraft VELOCITY

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Jet Engine Layout

Compressor Combustion Exhaust

Chamber Nozzle
mVaircraft
mVjet

Shaft Turbine

’Straight-through’ configuration

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Different Jet Engine Types

Civil turbofan -
Trent

Military turbofan -
EJ200

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Reverse Thrust

Net 25% to 30% thrust

85% thrust
15% thrust

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

 Gas turbine cycle: Brayton cycle

40

Pressure
(atmospheres) Expansion/
Power
0

1500

Temperature
(degrees C)
0
intake compression combustion exhaust
X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines
Gas turbine cycle: Brayton cycle

TR: temperature ratio a-b

PR: pressure ratio a-b

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Trend of gas turbine development

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine running conditions

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Gas turbine combustor

• Stright pipe
• Diffuser
• Flame stabilization
• Optimal air supply

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Combustor Operation

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Jet Engine Layout
Can combustor

Whittle W1 engine, 1941

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Turbulent flame shape and flame height (3)
order of estimation

During time Δt, fuel molecule is convected

R 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’.
u’ H
U H R
Δt ∝ ∝
U u'

2R
RU R
⇒H∝ ∝
u' I

I=u’/U: intensity of turbulence

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

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

During time Δt, fuel molecule is convected

R 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 H H R2
Δt ∝ ∝
U D

2R R 2U
⇒H∝
D

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Dependence of flame height
on injection speed

2R

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Dependence of flame height
on burner diameter

laminar
H

turbulent
U

2R

...

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Jet Engine Layout
Annular cannular

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Combustor Operation
Primary zone Dilution zone
Intermediate
zone

Fuel spray
nozzle

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Reverse flow combustor

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

 Development of modern gas turbine for
clean environment

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

General consideration

100 30
temperature
range for 25
80

oxides of nitrogen, ppmv

carbon monoxide, ppmv low
emissions
20
60 NOx
15
CO
40
10

20
5

0 0
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
primary temperature, K

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

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

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Diffusion Flames

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

FLOX

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Flameless: air staged combustion

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Flames and flameless

flames FLOX

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Flames and FLOX

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines

Flames and flameless

X.S. Bai TC in Gas Turbines