Controlling pollutant emissions in a high-pressure combustor with fuel-diluent blending

Stiehl, Bernhard; Morales, Anthony; Genova, Tommy; Otero, Michelle; Martin, Scott; Yoon, Changjin; Ahmed, Kareem

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2022.123481

Controlling pollutant emissions in a high-pressure combustor with fuel-diluent blending

Journal Article · Sat Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 2022 · Fuel

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2022.123481· OSTI ID:1844551

Stiehl, Bernhard ^[1]; Morales, Anthony ^[2]; Genova, Tommy ^[2]; Otero, Michelle ^[2]; Martin, Scott ^[3]; Yoon, Changjin ^[4]; Ahmed, Kareem ^[2]

Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (United States); Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (United States)
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., Daytona Beach, FL (United States)
GE Global Research, Niskayuna, New York (United States)

This paper investigates the formation of nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions as a function of nitrogen (N₂) or carbon dioxide (CO₂) diluent content, added to a premixed reacting jet in crossflow. Here, reaction characteristics of a rich methane-air jet injected into a lean vitiated crossflow were analyzed at an elevated pressure of 5 atm. The jet was pre-heated and enriched with 0%, 15%, 30%, and 50% mass fraction to quantify the effect on pollutant emissions. Simulated results of the full chemistry Star-CCM+CFD model were verified with data taken in the experimental high-pressure combustion facility, which provides pressure, temperature and velocity profiles, as well as line-of-sight chemiluminescence and exit emission measurements. The analysis revealed the significant influence of the diluent to delay axial combustion; this mixing delay increased the axial flame lift-off and controlled any thermal ignition limitations. Increasing the diluent content increased the timescale for the flame to stabilize, which allowed for greater entrainment of crossflow oxidizer into the axial jet stream, and led to decreased pollutant emissions. Hence, crossflow entrainment is a critical driving force at high diluent content. Local nitric oxide (NO) emission formation in the axial stage was predicted numerically, showing the correlation between diluent addition, axial heat release, and the formation of nitric oxide pollution. The high diluent levels leaned out the jet mixture and delayed axial combustion, while reducing prompt and thermal NOx by mitigating flame hotspots and minimizing the timescale that the products remain at high temperatures.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., Daytona Beach, FL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0031227

OSTI ID:: 1844551

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1843901

Journal Information:: Fuel, Journal Name: Fuel Vol. 317; ISSN 0016-2361

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Controlling pollutant emissions in a high-pressure combustor with fuel-diluent blending

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