Academic literature on the topic 'Spinning Combustion Technology (SCT)'

Active combustion control has been accomplished in many laboratory and real-world combustion systems by fuel modulation as the control input. The modulation is commonly achieved using reciprocating flow control devices. These demonstrations have been successful because the instabilities have been at relatively low frequencies (∼200 Hz) or the scale of demonstration has been small enough to require very small levels of modulation. A number of real-world instabilities in gas turbine engines involve higher frequencies (200–500 Hz) and attenuation requires the modulation of large fractions of the engine fuel flow rate (hundreds of pounds per hour). A spinning drum valve was built to modulate fuel for these applications. Tests showed that this device provided more than 30% flow modulation up to 800 Hz for liquid fuel flows of greater than 400 lbm/hr. This paper describes the performance of the valve in flow bench tests, open-loop forcing, and closed-loop instability control tests. The closed-loop tests were done on a single-nozzle combustor rig which exhibited a limit-cycling instability at a frequency of ∼280 Hz with an amplitude of ∼7 psi. It also encounters an instability at 575 Hz under a different set up of the rig, though active control on that instability has not been investigated so far. The test results show that the spinning valve could be effectively used for active instability control, though the control algorithms need to be developed which will deal with or account for actuator phase drift/error.

In order to improve thermal conductivity, energy performance, and combustion performance of the aluminum-containing thermite, nanocarbon materials were added to thermite. Aluminum/molybdenum and trioxide/nanocarbon materials (Al/MoO3/NCM) were fabricated by electrostatic spinning technology. The Al and MoO3 particles of the nAl/MoO3/NCM thermite are much smaller than nitrocellulose (NC); thus, the two components can be better attached to NC fibers. Results on thermal conductivity demonstrated that the addition of NCM can improve the thermal conductivity of Al/MoO3, and the addition of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) has a more significant impact on thermal conductivity. Energy performance analysis results indicated that the energy performance of Al/MoO3/NCM thermite spinning is the best when the value of combustion oxygen equivalent ratio (Φ) is 0.90–1.00. The combustion performance results show that the addition of NCM can significantly increase the combustion rate of thermites, and the addition of RGO improves its combustion rate the most, followed by carbon nanotubes (CNT) and nanoflake graphite (NFG) being the lowest. By changing the shape of the Al/MoO3/NCM charge and the internal composition of the charge, the sensitivity of the agent can be adjusted, and the matching performance and use performance of the electric igniter can be improved.

Safran Helicopter Engines has recently patented the spinning combustion technology in which the burnt gases from one injector travel tangentially along the combustor annulus towards the neighboring injectors. Compared to conventional designs, the new kerosene injection systems are dedicated to improve air/fuel mixture ignition but also to further reduce NOx and soot particle emissions. Experimental studies are performed on these fuel injectors in a high-pressure/high-temperature combustion facility designed by the CORIA research laboratory. This test bench is able to reproduce the same operating conditions encountered in a helicopter combustor over the entire range of nominal operating conditions and has large optical accesses for the implementation of laser-based diagnostics. In the current paper, we present results concerning flame structure and NO formation in the primary zone under pressure conditions of up to 14 bar, using simultaneous OH-PLIF, NO-PLIF and kerosene-PLIF laser diagnostics. These experimental studies were supplemented by high-speed PIV measurements. A good spatial correlation between the distribution of liquid and vapour kerosene and the location of the flame front was observed. Depending on the operating conditions in terms of fuel/air ratio, mass flow rates and pressure, different flame structures resulting from the modification of the interaction between fuel injection and aerodynamics are observed. Furthermore, it was found that the Zeldovich pathway mainly controls the formation of NO in the vicinity of the flame front. In addition, the effects of FAR and pressure also have a significant impact on NO production. All these results are now intended to serve as a comprehensive validation database for the development and testing of high-fidelity LES tools dedicated to the simulation of reactive flows in aero-engine combustion chambers.

Les effets anthropogéniques sur l’environnement posent un défi majeur pour l’industrie aéronautique. Des réglementations de plus en plus strictes et la nécessité de rendre le transport aérien durable orientent les recherches actuelles vers des systèmes propulsifs innovants. Dans ce contexte, Safran Helicopter Engines développe sa technologie brevetée de combustion giratoire (SCT), visant à améliorer les performances des moteurs d’hélicoptères. Déjà implémentée sur le moteur Arrano, cette technologie est davantage optimisée pour réduire significativement les émissions de NOx et de suies. Dans le cadre du programme européen LOOPS, deux nouveaux systèmes d’injection de carburant sont étudiés : l’un conçu pour un régime riche dans une chambre RQL, et l’autre pour une combustion pauvre. Cette thèse évalue expérimentalement ces systèmes à l’aide de diagnostics laser avancés, adaptés aux environnements réactifs à haute pression. Le banc HERON, développé au CORIA, permet d’analyser leurs performances de combustion et évaluer les émissions dans des conditions représentatives des moteurs d’hélicoptères : pressions de 8 à 14 bar, températures d’entrée d’air de 570 à 750 K, et richesses de 0,6 à 1,67. Des diagrammes de stabilité de flamme sont établis, suivis d’analyses des propriétés du spray liquide par PDPA (Phase Doppler Particle Anemometry). Les champs aérodynamiques sont mesurés en conditions réactive et non-réactive par PIV (Particle Imaging Velocimetry) ultra-rapide à 10 kHz. La structure des flammes est caractérisée par PLIF-OH, tandis que la PLIF-kérosène permet d’étudier l’évaporation du carburant en détectant les mono- et di- aromatiques. Les diagnostics couplés simultanément PLIF-NO, PLIF-OH et PLIF-kérosène corrèlent les structures des flammes, les distributions des phases liquide et vapeur, et les zones de formation de NO. De même manière, la PLII (Planar Laser-Induced Incandescence) couplé avec PLIF-OH, PLIF-kérosène permets d’analyser les mécanismes de formation et d’oxydation des suies. Des méthodes spécifiques déterminent des distributions 2D des concentrations de NO, OH et des fractions volumiques de suies. Les résultats montrent une flamme asymétrique pour l’injecteur riche, avec une efficacité de combustion élevé dans la partie supérieure grâce à une injection liquide augmenté localement. Malgré des richesses élevées, les niveaux de suies restent modérés, tandis que le NO se forme principalement près de la flamme, confirmant le mécanisme thermique de Zeldovich. L’injecteur en régime pauvre présente une structure de flamme typique des flammes swirlées stratifiées, malgré la légère asymétrique. Une meilleure évaporation du carburant y favorise une combustion plus efficace, réduisant la longueur de flamme et les NO, grâce à des températures de flamme plus basses. Cependant, des niveaux modérés de suies sont également observés malgré le régime pauvre. Les conditions opératoires influencent fortement les performances. À haute pression, l’atomisation du spray est accélérée, l’angle d’expansion du spray augmente, et les zones de recirculation interne sont renforcées, modifiant la structure des flammes. L’augmentation des émissions de suies par la haute pression est observée pour l’injecteur en régime riche, gardant une richesse constante sur l’ensemble des conditions testées, tandis que les niveaux de NO restent stables. Pour l’injecteur en régime pauvre, les conditions réactives avec une richesse minimale à haute pression atténuent les effets de la pression, stabilisant la production de suies tout en réduisant les concentrations de NO. Ces résultats mettent en évidence le potentiel des deux systèmes d’injection pour optimiser les performances tout en réduisant les émissions des futurs moteurs d’hélicoptères
Anthropogenic effects on the environment present a major challenge for the aeronautical industry. Increasingly stringent pollution regulations and the necessity for sustainable air transport are driving the nowadays research toward innovative propulsion systems. In this context, Safran Helicopter Engines is advancing its patented Spinning Combustion Technology (SCT), aimed at improving helicopter engine performance. Already implemented in the Arrano engine, SCT is now being refined to significantly reduce NOx and soot emissions. As part of the European LOOPS program, two novel fuel injection systems are under investigation: one operating in a rich combustion regime tailored for an RQL combustion chamber and the other designed for lean combustion. The scientific activity of this thesis focuses on the experimental characterization of these injection systems using state-of-the-art laser diagnostics optimized for high-pressure reactive environments. The HERON combustion facility at CORIA enables the analysis of combustion and pollutant performance under conditions representative of helicopter engines, with pressures from 8 to 14 bar, air inlet temperatures from 570 to 750 K, and equivalence ratios ranging from 0.6 to 1.67. Initial flame stability maps are established, followed by in-depth analyses of liquid spray properties using Phase Doppler Particle Anemometry (PDPA). High-speed Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) captures aerodynamic fields under reactive and non-reactive conditions at 10 kHz. Flame structures are examined via OH-PLIF fluorescence imaging, while kerosene-PLIF evaluates liquid and vapor fuel distributions, particularly probing aromatic components in Jet A-1 kerosene. Furthermore, NO-PLIF imaging, combined with OH-PLIF and kerosene-PLIF, enables spatial correlations between flame structure, fuel distribution, and NO production zones. Soot formation and oxidation mechanisms are explored through Planar Laser-Induced Incandescence Imaging (PLII), integrated with OH-PLIF and kerosene-PLIF. Specific methods are developed to obtain 2D distributions of quantitative concentrations of NO, OH and soot volume fraction. Results reveal that the rich-burn injector produces an asymmetrical flame with enhanced upper-zone combustion efficiency due to locally intensified liquid fuel injection. Moderate soot levels are observed despite high equivalence ratios, while localized NO production, primarily near the flame, is attributed to the Zeldovich thermal mechanism. Conversely, the lean-burn injector forms a flame structure characteristic of stratified swirl flames, despite the minor asymmetry. Improved fuel evaporation leads to higher combustion efficiency, shorter flame lengths, and a reduction in NO formation, attributed to lower flame temperatures. In spite of the lean combustion conditions, moderate soot levels are measured for the second injector. Operating conditions strongly influence performance. Higher pressures accelerate spray atomization, increase spray expansion angles, and strengthen internal recirculation zones, reshaping flame structures. The increase in soot production at higher pressure is particularly demonstrated by the rich-burn injector due to constant equivalence ratios across all test conditions, while NO levels remain stable. For the lean-burn injector, leaner operation at elevated pressures moderates pressure effects, maintaining consistent soot levels and reducing NO concentrations. These findings highlight the potential of both injection systems for optimizing performance and reducing emissions in future helicopter engines

Recent advances in process design for solvent-based, post-combustion capture (PCC) processes, such as the Piperazine/Advanced Flash Stripper (PZ/AFS) process, have led to a reduction in the energy required for capture. Even though PCC processes are progressively improving in Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), with a few commercial installations, incorporating carbon capture adds cost to any operation. Hence, cost reduction will be instrumental for proliferation. The aim of this work is to improve process economics through optimization and to identify the parameters in our economic model that have the greatest impact on total cost to build and operate these systems. To that end, we investigated changes to the optimal solution and the corresponding cost of capture considering changes in the price of utilities and solvent. We found that changes in solvent price had the most effect on the cost of capture. However, re-optimizing the designs in the event of price changes did not lead to significant improvements in the case of piperazine, cooling water and electricity, whereas re-optimizing for changes in steam prices lead to yearly saving of 3.8%. These findings show that the design choices obtained at the nominal optimal solution are insensitive to utility price changes except for the case of steam and that there is a need for altered designs for locations where the steam prices are different.

Abstract Global warming, climate change and pollution are burning environmental issues. To reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation sector, aeronautical companies have been striving to lower engine emissions via the development of reliable lean combustors. In this context, effort has been devoted to the better understanding of various flame dynamics with emphasis on thermoacoustic instabilities, lean blow-off and extinctions. In line with this effort, Safran Helicopter Engines has recently developed and patented the revolutionary spinning combustion technology (SCT) for its next generation of combustors. This technology has indeed great flexibility when it comes to ignition and blow-off capabilities. To better understand the various physical mechanisms occurring in a SCT combustor, a joint numerical and experimental analysis of the flame stabilization in this spinning combustion technology framework has been devised. On the experimental side, the NTNU atmospheric annular combustor has been modified to introduce a relevant azimuthal component of velocity while operating under premixed fuel conditions, following the SCT concept. Note that to reduce temperature at the backplane of the chamber, film cooling is incorporated to avoid fuel injector damage. On the numerical side, high fidelity Large Eddy Simulations of the test bench have been carried out with the AVBP code developed at CERFACS, providing insights on the flame stabilization in this unique SCT geometry. In particular, it is noted that there is a strong interaction between the cooling film and the highly swirled flames exiting from the fuel injector bend. In that respect, changing the injector or global equivalence ratios while operating the SCT is shown to affect the combustion of this design.

Abstract Hydrogen micromix combustion is a promising concept to reduce the environmental impact of both aero and land-based gas turbines by delivering carbon-free and ultra-low-NOx combustion without the risk of autoignition or flashback. The ENABLEH2 project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of such a switch to hydrogen for civil aviation, within which the micromix combustion, as a key enabling technology, will be matured to TRL3. The micromix combustor comprises thousands of small diffusion flames for which air and fuel are mixed in a cross-flow pattern. This technology is based on the idea of minimizing the scale of mixing to maximize mixing intensity. The high-reactivity and wide flammability limits of hydrogen in a micromix combustor can produce short and low-temperature small diffusion flames in lean overall equivalence ratios. For hydrogen-air mixtures there is a need to further characterise the physical importance and calibration process of the laminar Schmidt (Sc), Lewis (Le) and Prandtl (Pr) and turbulent Schmidt (Sc) numbers. In addition, there is limited numerical and experimental data about flame characteristics and emissions of hydrogen micromix combustor at high pressure and temperature conditions. In this paper, the CFD software STAR-CCM+ was used with the FGM (Kinetic Rate) combustion model to simulate and calibrate hydrogen micromix flames. The research was divided into two parts. In the first part, the values of laminar Schmidt, Lewis and Prandtl numbers for H2 and air, non-reactive, flow mixtures were estimated as 0.22, 0.3 and 0.75 from correlations obtained in the literature. The typical Borghi diagram has been modified to represent this type of diffusion flame, since the assumption of Sc = Le = Pr = 1 can not be applied to hydrogen micromix flames and it is only for premixed flames. This diagram characterizes flame regime based on Damköhler (Da), Karlovitz (Ka) and turbulent Reynolds (Ret) numbers that were calculated from preliminary CFD simulations. In the second part, the value of laminar Schmidt number was set as constant while laminar Lewis and Prandtl numbers were obtained from the flamelet tables. A Turbulent Schmidt number was then obtained by comparing RANS and LES simulations of a single injector. If Sct > 0.2, the predicted NOx production of RANS simulations approaches that of LES; while Sct < 0.2 provides similar overall flame structure between RANS and LES. It is concluded that, for the current simulations, Sct = 0.2 is a good compromise between flame structure and emissions prediction. Flame characteristics and NOx emissions given by Thickened Flame and FGM Kinetic Rate models in a single injector geometry were also compared.

Hydrogen is a fuel of interest to the combustion community research as a promising sustainable alternative fuel to replace fossil fuels. The combustion of hydrogen produces only emission of water vapor and NOx. To alleviate the NOx emission, lean combustion has been proposed and utilized in last three decades for natural gas. Therefore, evaluation of mixing properties of both methane and hydrogen in lean combustion technology such as premixers is crucial for design purposes. Increased capability of computational systems has allowed tools such as computational fluid dynamics to be regularly used for purpose of design screening. In the present work, systematic evaluation of different CFD approaches is accomplished for axial injection of fuel into non swirling air. The study has been undertaken for both methane and hydrogen. Different Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) turbulence models including k–ε and RSM, which are relatively attractive as being computationally efficient, are evaluated. Further, the sensitivity of RANS models to different turbulent Schmidt number (Sct), as an important parameter in mass transport analysis, has been investigated. To evaluate the numerical results, fuel concentration is measured in different locations downstream of the injection point. This is accomplished by means of flame ionization detector (FID). Finally, a comprehensive comparison has been made between numerical and experimental results to identify the best numerical approach. To provide quantitative assessment, the simulations follow a statistically design matrix which allows analysis of variance to be used to identify the preferred simulation strategies. The results suggest high sensitivity of numerical results to different Sct and relatively low sensitivity to turbulence models. However, this general trend is the opposite for radial fuel injection.

Abstract In the context of air pollution, Safran Helicopter Engines patented an innovative design for helicopter combustors based on Spinning Combustion Technology. The development focuses on novel concepts of kerosene fuel injectors aiming to further reduce NOx and soot particle emissions. Experimental studies are performed on the fuel injectors in a high-pressure/high-temperature combustion facility designed by the CORIA laboratory. This test bench is able to reproduce the same conditions encountered in a helicopter combustor over the entire range of nominal operating conditions and has large optical accesses for the implementation of optical diagnostics. NOx and soot particles are assessed during three experimental studies, two of which focus on each pollutant individually and a third one specially dedicated for high-speed velocity measurements by PIV. Soot particles distribution, flame structure and fuel distribution were obtained by coupling the PLIF-OH, PLIF-kerosene and PLII diagnostics. On the other hand, the PLIF-NO combined with PLIF-OH and PLIF-kerosene allows to study the formation of NO with the combustion process and the fuel distribution.

Abstract The increasing generation share of renewable energy sources in the power sector raises the demand for fast and flexible large-scale storage technologies. Steam generation via stoichiometric combustion of H2 and O2 within a steam cycle is a promising way to back convert both gases. These gases can be generated by electrolysis that utilizes excess renewable energy. At the same time, this technology could provide balancing and spinning network reserves. A crucial parameter of this approach is combustion efficiency, since residual H2 or O2 can damage downstream components of the steam cycle. The current paper investigates the combustion efficiency of a H2/O2 burner under steam diluted conditions. The combustion efficiency measurement is very challenging in this case, as the combustor products consist mostly of pure steam and cannot be dried for conventional gas analysis. This is solved by an in-situ measurement method to quantify the combustion efficiency. This approach and relevant challenges are presented along with results regarding the combustion efficiency of a model H2/O2 combustor. Additionally, a design configuration study of the combustor is conducted by varying the swirl intensity and examining jet as well as swirl-stabilized flames. The initial results of the project suggest that steam-diluted H2 oxyfuel combustion with efficiencies close to 100% is possible.

The Quasiturbine turbo-machine is a pressure driven, continuous torque and symmetrically deformable spinning wheel. Excluding conventional turbines, the next step in the world of engine research is to make the gas engines as efficient as the diesel engines and the diesel engines as clean (or better) as the gas engines. Turbine characteristics help achieving this goal. The Quasiturbine (Qurbine or Kyotoengine) is a new engine technology that was conceived in early 1990 and patented in 1996 and later. The Quasiturbine is inspired by the turbine, perfects the piston and improves upon the Wankel engine. Efficient and compact, the Quasiturbine is also an engine concept optimization theory based on «volume pulse shaping» at design. While current technologies adapt combustion processes to engine design, the Quasiturbine theory tends to adapt the engine design to combustion processes. It is a non-eccentric crankshaft, true rotary engine (no piston like movement), that uses a 4 face articulated rotor with a free and accessible center, rotating without vibration nor propulsive dead time and producing a strong torque at low RPM under a variety of modes and fuels. The Quasiturbine goes along the best modern engine development strategy, which is to get as many ignitions as possible per minute, with a mechanical device rotating as slowly as possible. Quasiturbine allows designs with up to «7 conceptual degrees of freedom», substantially more than conventional turbine or piston engine, permitting to better shape the compression and relaxation volume pulse and further improved optimization. Taking full advantage of its unique short and fast linear ramp volume pulsed properties, its AC Model is a natural HCCI «detonation - knocking» engine. Such a detonation Quasiturbine has very little low-power-efficiency-penalty, is multi-fuel compatible (including direct hydrogen combustion), offers a drastic reduction in the overall propulsion system weight, size, maintenance and cost. Because Quasiturbine cycle is pressure driven instead of aerodynamically driven, it has a comparatively flat high efficiency characteristic in regard to RPM, load and power, which makes it most suitable for power modulation applications like in transportation and windmill energy storage and recovery systems. Used in Stirling and Brayton cycles, the Quasiturbine offers new ways to recover and transform thermal energy.