Unsteady temporal fluctuations of the equivalence ratio in lean premixed gas turbine combustors are one of the most important driving mechanisms for thermoacoustic instabilities. In this work, high-amplitude equivalence ratio fluctuations in the mixing section of a swirl-stabilized burner are assessed for the first time. The applied non-intrusive sensor is based on fixed-wavelength modulation spectroscopy of methane at 1653 nm using a near-infrared tunable diode laser. The measurements are performed at isothermal operating conditions without the presence of a flame at 25°C and at atmospheric pressure. The equivalence ratio fluctuations are generated by acoustic forcing of the air flow while the fuel injection flow rate is kept constant. Acoustic forcing amplitudes up to 220% of the mean flow velocity are assessed. Measurements are conducted at different axial distances from the fuel injection point to study the spatio-temporal evolution of the equivalence ratio fluctuations. The results show a frequency-dependent saturation of temporal equivalence ratio fluctuations with increasing forcing amplitude, which can not be described through the available model. These results are in good agreement with preceding studies and indicate the saturation of the flame response due to a saturation of equivalence ratio fluctuations. Furthermore, a decreased attenuation of temporal mixture inhomogeneities for small forcing amplitudes is found.

Fluidic oscillators have proven their capabilities and advantages in terms of the generation of oscillating jets without moving parts for many years, mainly in experimental studies. In this paper, the design, development, and integration of fluidic atomizers into the liquid-fuel system of the dual-fuel low NOX Advanced Can Combustion (ACC) system of the MAN Gas Turbines (MGT) are presented. The two-stage system comprises a pressure-swirl nozzle as a pilot stage and an assembly of four main premixed nozzles, based on fluidic technology. The design and the features of the pilot nozzle are briefly presented, whereas the focus lies on the functionality and layout of the fluidic nozzles. The complete integration, validation, and verification of this innovative liquid-fuel injection unit are presented. The final system features fast fuel-switchovers, low complexity, high reliability, and dry low emissions in liquid-fuel operation.

In gas turbine combustion systems, the reduction of emissions of harmful combustion by-products is a main development goal. This study provides a methodology to model NOX emissions effectively for varying levels of pilot fuel flows at different operational points. It combines one-dimensional flame simulations using detailed chemistry with a stochastic approach for equivalence ratio fluctuations to account for the effect of fuel-air unmixedness. This split allows for computationally fast variations of the gas inlet condition and the consideration of different shares of pilot gas. The generation of emissions is split into a share of prompt formation at the flame front and a slower formation mechanism, occurring within the combustion products in the post flame region. The influence of unmixedness of the fuel-air mixture on both effects is taken into consideration by means of probability density functions (PDFs) of the equivalence ratio. These are modeled on the basis of sampled values from Large Eddy Simulations at the flame front and adapted for different shares of pilot gas. It is shown that with a superposition of Gaussian PDFs the equivalence ratio distribution at the flame front resulting from the main gas supply and the pilot share can be well approximated. Measurement data from experiments in atmospheric conditions as well as emission measurements from high pressure tests are used to evaluate the model. Good agreement is found for atmospheric data, allowing for explanations on the effect of pilot fuel ratio on emissions. For elevated pressure, only qualitative trends could be reproduced. Hypotheses to explain this deviation are made that motivate further research.

Industrial gas turbines like the MGT6000 are often operated as power supply or as mechanical drives. In these applications, liquid fuels like 'Diesel Fuel No.2' can be used either as main fuel or as backup fuel if natural gas is not reliably available. The MAN Gas Turbines (MGT) operate with the Advanced Can Combustion (ACC) system, which is capable of ultra-low NOx emissions for gaseous fuels. This system has been further developed to provide dry dual fuel capability. In the present paper, we describe the design and detailed experimental validation process of the liquid fuel injection, and its integration into the gas turbine package. A central lance with an integrated two-stage nozzle is employed as a liquid pilot stage, enabling ignition and start-up of the engine on liquid fuel only. The pilot stage is continuously operated, whereas the bulk of the liquid fuel is injected through the premixed combustor stage. The premixed stage comprises a set of four decentralized nozzles based on fluidic oscillator atomizers, wherein atomization of the liquid fuel is achieved through self-induced oscillations. We present results illustrating the spray, hydrodynamic, and emission performance of the injectors. Extensive testing of the burner at atmospheric and full load high-pressure conditions has been performed, before verification within full engine tests. We show the design of the fuel supply and distribution system. Finally, we discuss the integration of the dual fuel system into the standard gas turbine package of the MGT6000.

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