SBIR-STTR Award

This program is directed at determining the critical conditions to obtain flameless oxidation condition in gas turbine engine combustion condition. The fuel preparation, efficient mixing in compact space and time, and ignition are critical for achieving flameless oxidation of fuel. The dynamic range of fuel-air mixtures, air preheats temperature and oxidant environment must be relevant for engine operating conditions. In this phase we will use comprehensive calculations on mixing and ignition delay to guide and perform some of the promising experiments for evaluating the most suitable conditions of direct application in gas turbine combustion. We will also examine the role of chamber pressure on distributed flameless oxidation of fuel. Our existing hardware can provide low oxygen concentration air at elevated temperatures pertinent in gas turbine combustion. The combustion chamber will be designed such that fuel will be dispersed and mixed with high temperature low oxygen concentration air. The effect of flow velocity and temperature of the mixture will be examined so that the mixture ignites upon entry into the main combustion chamber with controlled ignition delay. The CFD simulations conducted at CRAFT and ignition delay simulations and experiments conducted at UMD will be used to guide the experiments conducted at GVE. The goal is to determine critical conditions for flow velocity, temperature, pressure, mixture properties on controlled mixing and ignition delay under distributed flameless oxidation combustion conditions in the main combustion chamber with near unity pattern factor (uniform thermal field). Experiments will be conducted at GVE with closely coordinated efforts from UMD and CRAFT. UMD has world recognition on flameless oxidation combustion innovation under atmospheric combustion conditions. The proposed efforts will include flameless combustor operation at elevated pressures of compact size. The initial experiments conducted in this phase-1 studies using propane gas fuel will form the basis for detailed examination and demonstration studies in phase-2 using liquid fuels.

Benefits:
Closely coordinated research and development efforts between GVE, UMD and CRAFT is focused on the goal of providing the feasibility of achieving flameless oxidation of fuels at the elevated pressures that are characteristic of gas turbine combustion conditions. This goal will be achieved using well coordinated efforts between calculations and experiments. The experiments will be carried out at GVE while the calculations and simulations will be carried out at UMD and CRAFT. The UMD will conduct experiments and simulations as well as serve as a close coordinator between the simulations and experiments as their team has considerable expertise on High Temperature Air Combustion (HiTAC) technology (or flameless oxidation) under atmospheric pressure combustion conditions. Specifically the UMD group has demonstrated uniform thermal field (temperatures variation of less than 25 degree K) in the entire combustion zone, distributed flames oxidation of fuels, green flame, single digit ultra-low NOx emissions, no hydrocarbons and negligible carbon monoxide with flameless oxidation combustion at atmospheric pressure conditions. All the desired benefits sought in gas turbine combustion are potentially available in the proposed distributed flameless oxidation conditions using high temperature air combustion technology. However, the technology gaps at the present time include role of elevated pressures under flames oxidation condition, fuel preparation and mixing with low oxygen concentration air, and ignition delay. No validated models are available that can be used with great confidence under high temperature air combustion conditions including the flameless oxidation conditions. In this program we will provide numerical simulations on the behavior of fuel-air mixtures using various practical configurations, role of flow velocity, temperature, oxygen concentration/equivalence ratio on mixedness (degree of component distribution and homogenization), pre- and main combustion chamber behavior, ignition delay and combustion in the main chamber. Practical methodologies to preheat the combustion air at known oxygen concentration (and temperatures) will also be developed. In gas turbines the temperature of the air at exit from the compressor will depend upon pressure ratio of the compressor so that one must achieve the desired conditions of heat recirculation (for air preheat temperature) and gas recirculation (for reduced oxygen concentration) in the combustion air. Development of such information is critical for the development of HiTAC technology for use under gas turbine combustion conditions. General Vortex Energy, Inc (GVE), a Texas-based corporation, was formed to develop and market four patent-protected technologies that, when combined into a single energy production unit, will greatly increase fuel efficiencies while reducing the emission of harmful gases like NOx, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide, carbon and particulates. The final product, the Jirnov Vortex Turbine (JVT), goal is to revolutionize the ways in which power is produced. The JVT is a suitable replacement for most internal combustion engines and gas turbines, currently a $265 billion a year market. The company anticipates earning royalties from licensing agreements and revenues from the manufacture and sale of Jirnov Vortex Turbines. GVE is in a unique position to undertake the development and demonstration of flameless oxidation technology for gas Turbine combustion applications. GVE has considerable combustor design experience the result of its work with the JVT and the combustion device used in that turbine. The synergism of close cooperation, support and guidance of UMD team members increases the probability of successful results.

Keywords:
High Temperature Flameless Oxidation/Combustion, Propulsion,Multifuel

General Vortex Energy, Inc. (GVE) has designed a flameless/oxidation combustion system for the next generation of propulsion and power generation systems consisting of a two-stage combustor. The flameless/oxidation combustor prototype has been built during Phase I. Combustion in flameless/oxidation mode allow to use

Keywords:
Flameless/Oxidation Combustion, Homogenios Combustion, Fuel Saving, Low Grade Fuels,Energy Efficiency