Large Eddy Simulations and Experimental Investigation of Flow in a Swirl Stabilized Combustor

Swirling flows are the preferred mode of flame stabilization in lean premixed gas turbine engine combustors. Developing a fundamental understanding of combustion dynamics and flame stability in such systems requires a detailed investigation of the complex interactions between fluid mechanics and combustion. The turbulent reacting flow in a sudden expansion swirl combustor is studied using compressible large eddy simulations (LES) and compared with experimental data measured using PIV. Different vortex breakdown structures are observed, as the mixture equivalence ratio is reduced, that progressively diminish the stability of the flame. Sub-grid scale combustion models such as the artificially thickened flame method and the partially stirred reactor approach, along with appropriate chemical schemes, are implemented to describe the flame. The numerical predictions for average velocity correspond well with experimental results, and higher accuracy is obtained using the more detailed reaction mechanism. Copyright © 2012 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.