Laser Diagnostic Measurements in a Lean–Premixed Laboratory–Scale Gas Turbine Combustor

 

Professor T. H. Fletcher, Director, Paul O. Hedman, Daniel V. Flores

Advanced Combustion Engineering Research Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.

 

Significant progress has been made in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling of gas turbine systems, particularly in the compressor and turbine regions. Models of the combustor section are not used with the same degree of confidence. One of the major reasons for the lack of confidence in the combustor models is the lack of data for evaluation, especially at high pressure. Detailed profile data obtained in an atmospheric laboratory-scale premixed combustor are now available for four swirling lean premixed conditions. Laser-Doppler anemometry (LDA) was used to measure velocities, planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) was used to monitor OH, and coherent anti-Stokes raman spectroscopy (CARS) was used to measure temperature and major species concentrations. All of these techniques generated multiple points, so that both mean values and probability density functions are available at each location. The Reynolds' stresses <u'v'> are also available in both mean and PDF form. These data provide a good means to evaluate current CFD combustion models.

In the future, we hope to be able to obtain similar data at high pressure.