Study on the effect of fuel injection on combustion performance and NOx emission of RQL trapped-vortex combustor

Abstract

As a combustor that can reduce pollutant emissions, the trapped-vortex combustor can not only reduce the length of the combustor because of its radial classification technology, but also its design concept is inseparable from RQL (Rich burn, Quench, and Lean burn). In this paper, the effects of cavity equivalence ratio and fuel injection cone angle on combustion performance and NOx emission were studied by numerical simulation. It is found that the trapped-vortex combustor achieves RQL combustion mode. The increase of the cavity equivalence ratio results in the non-uniform fuel distribution. However, the fuel injection cone angle in the primary region has little effect on the fuel distribution. With the increase of the cavity equivalence ratio, the combustion efficiency and NOx emission first decrease and then increase, and outlet temperature distribution factor is positively correlated with the cavity equivalence ratio. The difference is that the outlet temperature distribution factor and combustion efficiency show almost the same law with the increase of injection cone angle in the primary region, and the NOx emission decreases, but the reduction is not significant.

Keywords

• NOx emission
• Trapped-vortex combustor
• Rich burn
• Quench
• And lean burn
• Flow field