Session: 3.3 - Open Source CFD

Paper Number: 158707

158707 - CFD Study of the Effect on Mixing Effectiveness of an Annular Premix Burner Nozzle When Varying Burner Geometric Parameters 

Abstract: 

Mixing effectiveness in premixed burners is critical for promoting flame stability and reducing environmentally harmful emissions. This paper presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of the influence of various geometric parameters on the mixing effectiveness of a simple premix burner nozzle, which features an annular air chamber and lance-injected methane as fuel. The open source software package OpenFOAM is used to perform three parametric studies to evaluate the impact of geometric variations on mixing effectiveness and pressure drop.

The first study varies the methane injection hole cross-sectional area  and evaluates how mixing effectiveness and the pressure differential between the methane and air inlets varies as the area changes. The second study varies the number and pattern of the methane injection holes while maintain a constant total cross-sectional area. The mixing effectiveness and pressure drops are again examined. The final study explores the impact of premix tube length variations on mixing effectiveness, keeping all other parameters constant. All simulations utilize the rhoReactingFoam solver to model the air-methane mixing process, with the kOmegaSSTIDDES turbulence model employed to capture detailed turbulent structures.

Findings from this study will guide the design of optimized gas injection lances for a high-capacity packaged horizontal fire tube glycol heater that has historically suffered from periods of flame instability and environmental related issues.

Presenting Author: Joseph Foster Mississippi State

Presenting Author Biography: