Effect of a Microturbine Combustor Type on Emissions at Lean Premixed Conditions

The effect of the combustor type, equivalence ratio, swirl number, and power on NO x and CO emissions of a purposely built, lean-premixed laboratory-scale model combustor with water-cooled walls and centerbody, which simple geometry simulates combustors found in microgas turbines, has been experimentally investigated in detail. The geometry of the premix section, the combustor, and the operating details is given. Air and gaseous propane were used as a fuel mixture. The tests have been performed at atmospheric conditions. The exhaust emissions of NO x and CO have been measured as a function of combustor type, equivalence ratio, swirl number, and power and briefly discussed. The obtained data can be useful for the preliminary design of a microturbine combustor and for the validation of computational fluid dynamics modeling of swirling, chemically reacting, one-phase flows.