CFD Fuel Injector Design Tool Featuring Unsteady Atomization and Turbulent-Combustion Models

Fuel injectors play a vital role in the performance of high performance gas turbine combustion systems. This is especially true in advanced combustion concepts that may rely on active control strategies and fuel pulsation. Current combustion CFD codes cannot accurately predict unsteady spray/atomization and turbulent-combustion processes. In this SBIR project (Phase I and II), CFD Research Corporation (CFDRC) proposes to develop and validate a CFD fuel injector design tool that will accurately predict spray-combustion in gas turbines. The capability to run steady/unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) and practical Large Eddy Simulation (LES) computations will be included within the code and transferred to the Air Force. In Phase I, we will concentrate on spray/atomization modeling with emphasis on modeling of liquid jets-in-crossflow because of their importance in pulsed fuel injection. Starting from an existing spray/atomization model, advanced features will be implemented to permit transient simulations including pulsed fuel injection. Pulsed jet-in-crossflow experimental data will be obtained and used to validate the transient atomization model. In Phase II, transient spray/atomization models for pressure swirl and airblast atomizers will be developed and implemented. Practical (yet realistic) reaction mechanisms and turbulent-combustion models will be fully implemented and validated. As a practical assessment of the injector design tool, CFDRC will team with a gas turbine engine manufacturer or university, and analyze an active control combustion system of interest to the Air Force.