Abstract
Development of a stable and efficient small-scale combustor architecture with comparable performance emission characteristics to large-scale burners is presented. Furthermore, the proposed architecture reduced susceptibility to extinction and maintained high combustion efficiency and low emission levels under ultralean operating conditions for a wide range of combustion power outputs. Prototype burner arrays were additively manufactured and demonstrated with methane/air flames. The burner sustained lean flames (φ=0.65) independent of power output, indicating good scalability. High combustion efficiencies (98%) were estimated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the exhaust gas. Combined unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emission measurements were well below 0.1% by mass. Near-adiabatic flame temperatures with minimal spatial variations across the burner were observed resulting from enhanced flame interaction and reduced heat loss. Overall, this study successfully demonstrates the potential for a novel combustor architecture that can be scaled across a wide range of power outputs with minimal performance degradation.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 04018013 |
Journal | Journal of Energy Engineering |
Volume | 144 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 1 2018 |
Keywords
- Combustion efficiency
- Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS)
- Lean blow-off limits
- Mesoscale combustion
- Swirl stabilization
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Nuclear Energy and Engineering
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
- Waste Management and Disposal