Geometry Effects on the Flow Field and the Spectral Characteristics of a Triple Annular Swirler

Abstract

The dynamics of vortex breakdown are important to the performance of gas turbine combustors where swirling flows are extensively used to stabilize the flame and extend the lean flammability limit (LBO). Due to the strong interaction of vortical structures in the swirling flow with heat release and acoustical modes, vortex breakdown mechanism is essential to understanding the thermoacoustic behavior and to the development of combustion instability control strategy. This paper analyzes the vortex breakdown behavior downstream of a Triple Annular Research Swirler (TARS) based on velocity flow field data from stereoscopic PIV measurement and spectral data from hotwire/film measurements. The vortical structure is highly dependent on the different swirler combinations (swirler geometry) as well as on inlet conditions such as air flow-rate, mixing tube length and downstream conditions such as exhaust nozzle contraction ratio. The scale, location, strength, and formation mechanisms of the large-scale vortices vary for different geometries. The shape of the recirculation bubble changes with the outlet boundary conditions, suggesting that the swirling flow inside the combustion chamber remains subcritical downstream of the vortex breakdown. However, spectral analysis reveals that the dominant frequencies close to the exit of the TARS show only slight change for different outlet boundary conditions. Three ranges of frequencies characterize the spectral domain of TARS: high frequency close to the TARS exit, middle range frequency downstream of this region, and low frequency in most regions further downstream. The sources of instabilities in these three regions could be attributed to the strong shear layer, precessing vortex core and interaction between spanwise and azimuthal instabilities. The outlet boundary conditions affect the middle and low frequency range but have no effect on the high frequency. The inlet conditions have global effect on the entire flow region.