CFD Insight of the Flow Dynamics and Velocity Fields in a Gas Turbine Combustor with a Swirl Flame

The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of gas turbine combustor were performed for CH4/air flow with swirl flames. The flow dynamics and velocity fields were numerically studied and the results compared with the experimental data obtained by laser measurements. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) simulations were performed with consideration of a two-step oxy-combustion reaction kinetics model. The Eddy Dissipation Concept (EDC) combustion model was used in the numerical analysis. The numerical results obtained by EDC model were in good agreement with the experimental data. However, an error analysis showed that the simulated mean velocity components obtained by 3-D geometry were more consistent with the experimental data than those obtained by 2-D geometry.