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Feasibility study of ultra-low NOx Gas turbine combustor using the RML combustion concept

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Abstract

A new combustion concept, the so called RML, was investigated to validate its application as a gas turbine combustor for combustor outlet temperatures over 1973 K. The feasibility study of the RML combustor was conducted with zero dimensional combustion calculations. The emission characteristics of RQL, LEAN, EGR and RML combustors were compared. The calculation results showed that the RQL combustor has lower NOx emissions than the LEAN at high outlet temperature. NOx emissions of the RML combustor at equivalence ratio of the rich chamber of 2.0 can be reduced by 30 % compared with the EGR combustor, and lower than the RQL combustor at a combustor outlet temperature over 1973 K. However, the CO emissions of the RML combustor were higher than those of the LEAN and EGR combustors. Also, the possibility of applying the RML combustor to gas turbines was discussed considering residence time, equivalence ratio of the rich chamber and recirculation rate. Although further research to design and realize the proposed RML combustor is needed, this study verified that the RML concept can be successfully used in a gas turbine combustor.

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Correspondence to Kook Young Ahn.

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Recommended by Associate Editor Jeong Park

Tien Giap Van reveived his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Vietnam, in 2013. He is currently a Master student in University of Science and Technology, Korea and a student researcher in Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) in Daejeon, Korea. His research interests are in the area of design of gas turbine combustor, emission control and system analysis and computational fluid dynamic (CFD).

Jeong Jae Hwang received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Seoul National University, Korea, in 2007, 2009, and 2014. He is currently a Senior Researcher at Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) in Daejeon, Korea. His research interests are in the area of turbulent flames, combustion instabilities, and laser diagnostics.

Min Kuk Kim received his B.S. from Yonsei University in 2003 and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University, Korea, in 2010. Dr. Kim is currently a Senior Researcher at Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) in Daejeon, Korea. His research interests are in the area of design of gas turbine combustor, emission control, laser diagnostics, and electricfield assisted combustion system.

Kook Young Ahn received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Hanyang University in 1980 and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Korea, in 1994. Dr. Ahn is currently a Principal Researcher at Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM) and a Professor at the University of Science and Technology (UST) in Daejeon, Korea. His research interests are in the area of the development of low NOx gas turbine combustor and fuel cell hybrid system for industrial applications.

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Van, T.G., Hwang, J.J., Kim, M.K. et al. Feasibility study of ultra-low NOx Gas turbine combustor using the RML combustion concept. J Mech Sci Technol 30, 5749–5757 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-1145-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-016-1145-y

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