This paper presents the experimental approach for determination and validation of noncompact flame transfer functions of high-frequency, transverse combustion instabilities observed in a generic lean premixed gas turbine combustor. The established noncompact transfer functions describe the interaction of the flame's heat release with the acoustics locally, which is necessary due to the respective length scales being of the same order of magnitude. Spatiotemporal dynamics of the flame are measured by imaging the OH⋆ chemiluminescence signal, phase-locked to the dynamic pressure at the combustor's front plate. Radon transforms provide a local insight into the flame's modulated reaction zone. Applied to different burner configurations, the impact of the unsteady heat release distribution on the thermoacoustic driving potential, as well as distinct flame regions that exhibit high modulation intensity, is revealed. Utilizing these spatially distributed transfer functions within thermoacoustic analysis tools (addressed in this joint publication's Part II) allows then to predict transverse linear stability of gas turbine combustors.

This paper deals with high-frequency (HF) thermoacoustic instabilities in swirl-stabilized gas turbine combustors. Driving mechanisms associated with periodic flame displacement and flame shape deformations are theoretically discussed, and corresponding flame transfer functions (FTF) are derived from first principles. These linear feedback models are then evaluated by means of a lab-scale swirl-stabilized combustor in combination with part one of this joint publication. For this purpose, the models are used to thermoacoustically characterize a complete set of operation points of this combustor facility. Specifically, growth rates of the first transversal modes are computed, and compared against experimentally obtained pressure amplitudes as an indicator for thermoacoustic stability. The characterization is based on a hybrid analysis approach relying on a frequency domain formulation of acoustic conservation equations, in which nonuniform temperature fields and distributed thermoacoustic source terms/flame transfer functions can be straightforwardly considered. The relative contribution of flame displacement and deformation driving mechanisms–i.e., their significance with respect to the total driving–is identified. Furthermore, promoting/inhibiting conditions for the occurrence of high frequency, transversal acoustic instabilities within swirl-stabilized gas turbine combustors are revealed.

Self-excited, high-frequency first transversal thermoacoustic instabilities in a cylindrical combustion chamber equipped with a premixed swirl-stabilized flame are investigated. Phase-locked image analysis of the phenomena shows the displacement of the flame and a higher burning rate in the region of elevated pressure. The impact of diffuser angle and fuel composition on the stability limits and the flame position is investigated. The Rayleigh-Index is computed for a threedimensional domain based on analytical flame transfer functions for experimentally obtained data of OH*-chemiluminescence as measure for the spatial heat release. Two models from different sources are applied, which describe the interaction between flame and acoustic locally. The axial dependence of the amplitude of the transversal mode is computed by a numerical model, which takes the temperature distribution inside the combustion chamber into account. The comparison of the Rayleigh-Index of different operation points shows a correlation with the stability limits for some, but not for all investigated configurations.

This paper deals with high-frequency thermoacoustic instabilities in swirl-stabilized gas turbine combustors. Driving mechanisms associated with periodic flame displacement and flame shape deformations are theoretically discussed, and corresponding flame transfer functions are derived from first principles. These linear feedback models are then evaluated by means of a lab-scale swirl-stabilized combustor in combination with part one of this joint publication. For this purpose, the models are used to thermoacoustically characterize a complete set of operation points of a this combustor facility. Specifically, growth rates of the first transversal modes are computed, and compared against experimentally obtained pressure amplitudes as an indicator for thermoacoustic stability. The characterization is based on a hybrid analysis approach relying on a frequency domain formulation of acoustic conservation equations, in which non-uniform temperature fields and distributed thermoacoustic source terms / flame transfer functions can be straightforwardly considered. The relative contribution of flame displacement and deformation driving mechanisms — i.e. their significance with respect to the total driving — is identified. Furthermore, promoting/ inhibiting conditions for the occurrence of high frequency, transversal acoustic instabilities within swirl-stabilized gas turbine combustors are revealed.

This paper presents the experimental approach for determination and validation of non-compact flame transfer functions of high frequency, transverse combustion instabilities observed in a generic lean premixed gas turbine combustor. The established non-compact transfer functions describe the interaction of the flame’s heat release with the acoustics locally, which is necessary due to the respective length scales being of the same order of magnitude. Spatio-temporal dynamics of the flame are measured by imaging the OH* chemiluminescence signal, phase-locked to the dynamic pressure at the combustor’s front plate. Radon transforms provide a local insight into the flame’s modulated reaction zone. Applied to different burner configurations, the impact of the unsteady heat release distribution on the thermoacoustic driving potential, as well as distinct flame regions that exhibit high modulation intensity are revealed. Utilizing these spatially distributed transfer functions within thermoacoustic analysis tools (addressed in this joint publication’s part two) allows then to predict transverse linear stability of gas turbine combustors.