Numerical study of the effect of inlet geometry on combustion instabilities in a lean premixed swirl combustor

The effects of flow structure and flame dynamics on combustion instabilities in a lean premixed swirl combustor were numerically investigated using Large eddy simulation (LES) by varying the inlet geometry of combustor. The dynamic ksgs-equation and G-equation flamelet models were respectively employed as the LES subgrid models of turbulence and combustion. The divergent half angle (α) in the combustor inlet was varied systematically from 30° to 90° to quantify the effect of inlet geometry on the combustion instabilities. This variation caused considerable deformation in recirculation zones in terms of their size and location, leading to significant changes in flame dynamics. Analysis of unsteady pressure distributions in the combustor showed that the largest damping caused by combustion instabilities takes place at α = 45°, and the amplitude of acoustic pressure oscillation is largest at α = 30°. Examination of local Rayleigh parameters indicated that controlling flame-vortex interactions by modifying inlet geometry can change the local characteristics of combustion instabilities in terms of their amplification and suppression, and thus serve as a useful approach to reduce the instabilities in a lean premixed swirl combustor. These phenomena were studied in detail through unsteady analysis associated with flow and flame dynamics.