Streamlined Burner Injection with Vortex Generators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas turbine burners face challenges in achieving efficient combustion of high reactivity fuels and high inlet temperatures while maintaining low NOx emissions and preventing flashback, especially when designed for natural gas and oil, which limits their flexibility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A combined vortex generator and fuel injection device is integrated into a single unit, allowing for rapid mixing and reduced mixing zone length, eliminating the need for additional flow conditioning elements and reducing pressure drop, enabling the use of high reactivity fuels and high inlet temperatures without increasing NOx emissions or flashback risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If separate vortex generators and fuel injection devices are used, then vortex generation and fuel injection can be performed independently, but the mixing zone length increases and pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the vortex generator and fuel injection device into a single integrated component. The streamlined body includes vortex generators on its lateral sides and fuel nozzles positioned at the trailing edge, merging two previously separate functions into one unified structure. This integration reduces the overall mixing zone length and decreases the number of separate components in the system.
2Manufacturing precision
If fuel is injected with high perpendicular momentum into vortices, then mixing quality improves and flashback is avoided, but the residence time in mixing zone increases risking auto ignition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions fuel nozzles at the trailing edge of the streamlined body, injecting fuel perpendicular to the main flow direction. This dimensional approach allows fuel to be injected directly into the vortex core region, achieving rapid mixing while the streamlined body geometry simultaneously controls residence time by guiding flow efficiently through the combustion chamber.
3Stability of the object's composition
If additional flow conditioning elements are installed, then flow distribution improves, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The streamlined body performs multiple functions simultaneously: it generates vortices through its lateral surface geometry, injects fuel through trailing edge nozzles, and conditions the flow distribution. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate flow conditioning elements, maintaining flow distribution uniformity while avoiding additional pressure drop associated with multiple components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution achieves higher burner velocities, lower pressure drop, and the ability to operate at higher inlet temperatures with low NOx emissions, allowing for the efficient combustion of highly reactive fuels like hydrogen, while maintaining or improving mixing quality and reducing the risk of flashback.
Implementation Method 1
a streamlined body 22...with vortex generators 23 on the lateral sides upstream of the trailing edge 29
Implementation Method 2
The momentum flux of the fuel is adjusted relative to the momentum flux of the main flow so as to penetrate in to the vortices
Implementation Method 3
wherein a part of the fuel is combusted...wherein the fuel and the oxidizer mix and subsequently burn
Data Source
Figure 1~2b
Figure 3~4d
Figure 5a~5e
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a burner (1), preferably for a secondary combustion chamber of a gas turbine with sequential combustion having a first and a second combustion chamber, with an injection device (7) for the introduction of at least one gaseous fuel into the burner (1). According to the invention, the injection device (7) has at least one body (22) which is arranged in the burner (1) with at least one nozzle (15) for introducing the at least one gaseous fuel into the burner (1), the at least one body being configured as a streamlined body (22) which has a streamlined cross-sectional profile (48) and which extends with a longitudinal direction (49) perpendicularly or at an inclination to a main flow direction (14) prevailing in the burner (1), the at least one nozzle (15) having its outlet orifice at or in a trailing edge (24) of the streamlined body (22), wherein the body (22) has two lateral surfaces (33) essentially parallel to the main flow direction (14), and wherein upstream of the at least one nozzle (15) on at least one lateral surface (33) there is located at least one vortex generator (23).