Large-eddy simulation of gas turbine combustors

Department of Energy (ASC)         Collaborators: Stanford University         

 

     

Direct numerical and large-eddy simulation have traditionally been restricted to fairly simple geometries. The goal of this project is to extend the large-eddy simulation methodology to predict the exceedingly complicated flow inside modern gas turbine combustors. This involves modeling the effects of complex geometry, multiphase flow, complex chemistry and combustion. Central to this effort is the development of numerical algorithms that are flexible enough to handle engineering configurations yet accurate enough to simulate turbulence. The figures show contours of velocity from simulations of the turbulent flow in two combustor geometries. On the right is a coaxial combustor, which is a simple academic geometry. On the left is a commercial combustor from Pratt & Whitney. Mahesh et al. (Journal of Computational Physics, 2004, 197:215-240) developed a numerical method that makes it possible to simulate turbulent flows in real-life engineering geometries like the commercial combustor shown above. The above results are for incompressible flow. The algorithm has been extended to include the effects of heat release and spray combustion which are described in the publications listed below. Current research is focused on accounting for compressibility effects.

Publications

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