Marco Alecci,

Giuliano Cammarata, Giuseppe Petrone

Analysis and Modelling of a low NOx Swirl Burner

Universit degli Studi di Catania
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale e Meccanica
V.le Andrea Doria, 6 - 95125 Catania, Italia


Abstract A three dimensional numerical
simulation of the fluid dynamics of a swirling
gas jet is proposed in this study. Swirling jets
are commonly used for several industrial
applications such as fluid injection in
combustion chambers or industrial burners. In
a swirling jet the gradients of static pressure
set up across the flow field introduce adverse
axial pressure gradients in the region of swirl
decay, and these may be strong enough to
cause reversal of the forward velocities near
the jet axis. Thus, a Recirculation Flow Zone
(RFZ) is set up downstream of the jet orifice
improving combustion quality and flame
stability. In the present paper we discuss a
three-dimensional numerical simulation of a
turbulent swirling jet entering a combustion
reactor. Swirl effect is obtained by
introducing the flow through a specific device
(swirler) characterized by a series of guided
deviatory vanes, able to generate a spiral
motion field. Analyzing the flow velocity and
pressure fields, a good correspondence with
literature results has been found. Particularly,
the realised Femlab model points out the
existence of a RFZ, characterized by a good
degree of recirculation, in keeping with the
real system behaviour.

Keywords Swirling jet, Turbulent Flow,
Flame Stabilization.


1 Introduction

Swirling jets are used as a means of
controlling flames in combustion chambers
and are used in many industrial applications:
among these, cyclone separators and
industrial burners [1, 2]. The aerodynamics of
swirling turbulent jets combine the
characteristics of rotating motion and the free
turbulence phenomena encountered in jets and
wake flows. When rotating motion is
imparted to a flow (upstream of a nozzle), it
assumes a main tangential velocity
component in addition to the axial and radial
ones (encountered in no-swirling jets). The
tangential component of velocity induces the
flow to change its direction, so that a spiral
form is set up. Then, a low pressure zone in
the central core of this spiral, characterized by
toroidal vortexes, is set up.
This phenomenon is called Precessing
Vortex Core (PVC). The physical appearance
of the PVC in swirling flames reduces the
flame length and generates a high emissivity
flame. In presence of a strong degree of swirl,
the radial and, above all, the axial pressure
gradients, associated with the PVC, result in
the setting up of a Reverse Flow Zone
(RFZ) along the axis, characterized by an
internal flow recirculation. The RFZ enables
the recycling of heat and active chemical
species to the root of the flame, providing a
stable flame itself with a good performance
for a number of carboneous materials which
are usually difficult to burn. Thus, an efficient
combustion takes place, characterized by a
stable flame and a reduced percentage of
emissions (particularly NOx). Swirl burners
are usually of simple geometrical shape, even
if the aerodynamics is very complex due to
the high level of turbulence [3]. Methods of
generating swirling jets can be divided into
three main categories:

a) Tangential inlet of the fluid stream
into a cylindrical duct;

b) Rotation of mechanical devices which
confer a swirling motion to the fluid
Excerpt from the Proceedings of the COMSOL Multiphysics User's Conference 2005 Stockholm
flowing through them (for example
rotating vanes);

c) The use of guide vanes in an axial
flow.

The swirl intensity can be quantified, with
good approximation, by an experimental
parameter S, called swirl number. It is
defined as the ratio between the axial flux of
the angular momentum, and the axial flux of
axial momentum multiplied by the exit radius
of the burner nozzle. Experimental analyses
have shown as varying swirl number, the RFZ
presents different degrees of recirculation. It
is thus possible to establish the following
classification [4]:

a) Weak swirl (S<1)
The pressure gradients are not large
enough to generate a recirculation
zone.

b) Medium swirl (0.6<S<1)
A light recirculation zone is generated,
due to larger axial pressure gradients.

c) Strong swirl (S>1)
A very large recirculation zone is
generated, due to the high pressure
gradients developed in the core.

This paper reports the results of the
analysis and modeling of a industrial swirl
burner, in which the degree of swirl belongs
to the medium class, and the swirl effect is
generated by guided vanes. A central toroidal
recirculation zone inside the jet, where a
reversal flow is detected, is clearly pointed-
out and successfully compared with
experimental results coming from literature,
established for similar values of the swirl
number in similar injection systems.


2 Modelling

The specific analyses reported in this
paper have been focused on the fluid-dynamic
aspect of the swirling flow, avoiding thermal
characterization in this preliminary phase of
the study. This means that only the velocity
and pressure fields of the inlet fluid have been
studied, excluding any combustion reaction.
This topic will be introduced in further
analyses.

The modelled industrial burner (ITEA
S.p.A.) is illustrated in fig. 1. Looking at this
picture, the swirl device (swirler) is
characterized by a collar of blades. Through
the guided vanes, fluid is forced to take a
spiral motion, typical of swirling jets.


Fig. 1: Frontal view of the ITEA S.p.A.
burner.

First of all, the geometry of the swirler
has been realized by a CAD software, and it is
illustrated in fig. 2:


Fig. 2: Geometrical model of the swirler.


Excerpt from the Proceedings of the COMSOL Multiphysics User's Conference 2005 Stockholm
Further the swirler has been imported into
the Femlab drawing grid, where the entire
geometry has been completed (fig. 3).



Fig. 3: Entire geometrical model.

The entire model geometry is divided into
two different sections. The first section
represents the inlet duct (where the axial
swirler is located), while the second section
represents the initial part of a combustion
reactor.

The second step has been focused on the
sub-domain and solution modules settings.
From experimental data, the fluids
characteristics are the following:

-Density: =1 kg/m
3
;
-Kinematic viscosity: =1E-5 m
2
/s;

Volume forces were neglected because no
thermal effects were considered in the
modelling. The right Femlab module of
analysis has been chosen considering the
following hypothesis:

-Newtonian and incompressible fluid
(Mach<<1);
-Turbulent flow (Re>>2000).

According to these hypotheses a K-
epsilon turbulence module has been chosen
for the modelling. The conservation equations
are the momentum and mass balances:



Then, two closure equations are needed to
solve the problem:









where
1
c

is a constant and k and represent

the kinetic turbulent energy and the
dissipative turbulent energy, respectively.
This set of equations is solved with the
following boundary conditions:


-Fluid enters the duct with an average
axial velocity of 20 m/s;
-On the walls, including the swirlers
blades, no slip condition has been set;
-On the last frontal section a pressure
equal to 3 bar has been considered.

The third step has been the meshing of
the geometrical model and then, the problem
solving. A no-structured mesh, made of
tetrahedral elements, was realized, with finer
elements close to the swirler zone. The
numerical grid in Femlab appears as reported
in fig. 4.



Fig. 4: Computational grid.
( )
( )
T
F
u u p u

(
= + + +


i i
0 u =

i
( )
i T
ij
j k
u
u k k
x

( | |
= + +
( |

( \

i i
( )
2
1 1
/ /
i T
ij
j
u
u c k c k
x

( | |
= + +
( |

( \

i i
Excerpt from the Proceedings of the COMSOL Multiphysics User's Conference 2005 Stockholm
Computations have been carried-out on a
64 bit calculator of 16 Gb of RAM. This
utility allowed to use a numerical grid giving
about 400,000 degrees of freedom. The non-
linear problem has been solved by using the
UMFPACK solver, because it represents an
optimization of time-solving, accuracy and
memory availability.




3 Results

In this section results are presented and
discussed analyzing a set of pictures, obtained
by exploiting Femlab graphic post-processing
utilities.
Figs. 5 and 6 show velocity fields evaluated in
several cross-sections of the model (fig. 5),
and in a longitudinal one (fig. 6), respectively.



Fig. 5: Velocity field in different cross-
sections of the model.



Fig. 6: Velocity field in a longitudinal section
of the model.


It is possible to observe how in the first
duct the fluid accelerates when it goes
through the swirler, due to the steady-state
analysis. Further, when fluid enters the
reactor, it expands (with the classical cone
course) and velocity field assumes values of
about 2-3 m/s. Then, from the velocity
streamlines analysis, it is easy to observe the
spiral motion imparted to the fluid by the
swirler (fig. 7), typical of swirling jets.




Fig. 7: Streamlines of the flow.


As previously described, the pressure
gradients in the spiral core region result in the
setting up of the RFZ. This is well represented
in fig. 8 where the axial velocity isosurfaces
are plotted.




Fig. 8: Isosurfaces of axial velocity.


The bulb, located in the central core,
corresponds to negative values of axial
velocity. That means the fluid is recirculated
toward the burner outlet section. The same
results are reported on the graph below (fig.
9), where the axial velocity is plotted as a
function of the geometry radius:

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the COMSOL Multiphysics User's Conference 2005 Stockholm

Fig. 9: Radial distribution of axial velocity
close to the burner outlet (continuous line),
10 cm (dashed line) and 20 cm (dotted-dashed
line) from it.

The negative values of axial velocity
reflect the central core recirculation close to
the burner outlet (continuous line). Although,
RFZ keeps its intensity up to a certain
distance from it. In fact, the dashed and
dotted-dashed lines show how velocity still
assume negative values in the core up to
about 20 cm. Analyzing these values, the
RFZ results great close to the burner outlet
and, then, it decreases as soon as the fluid
reaches the reactor central zone.
The obtained results show a successful
correspondence with those coming from
literature [4]. In fact, the swirl number of the
examined device, evaluated adopting an
analytical expression based on experimental
studies, results equal to 0.77. Then, it belongs
to the medium swirl class, characterized by
pressure gradients sufficient for the RFZ
development. Thus, the recirculation effects
reported by the Femlab model reflect the real
swirl burner behaviour. At the same time,
pressure field has been analyzed, too. It has
also found good correspondence with
literature predictions. Particularly, a strong
depression in the central core is detected, that
confirms the RFZ development once again.





4 Conclusions and further
developments

In this paper a numerical fluid-dynamic
characterization of an industrial low NOx
swirl burner is reported. The study has been
focused on the swirl device (swirler), by the
evaluation of the velocity and pressure fields
of a jet expanding inside a combustion
reactor. Simulations reflect, with good
approximation, the real behaviour of the
system, regarding the establishment of an
Recirculation Flow Zone. Thus, it may be
used to simulate different operative conditions
(such as other fluids or other inlet velocities),
avoiding expensive experimentation. In a
further development the combustion reaction
will be introduced into the model, analyzing
how it may influence the velocity and
pressure fields and introducing a thermal
characterization of heat exchanges. Finally, a
transient analysis will complete this study.

Acknowledgement This work has been
developed at the Department of Industrial and
Mechanical Engineering of the University of
Catania with the precious collaboration of
ITEA S.p.A, SOFINTER Group
(www.iteaspa.com).



References


[1] G. Solero, Experimental
characterization of the isothermal mixing
process in a model of a natural gas swirl
combustor, 50th Congresso Nazionale
ATI, 1995.

[2] R. Hillemans, B. Lenze, W. Leuchel,
Flame stabilisation and turbulent
exchange in strongly swirling natural gas
flames, 21st International Symposium of
combustion, 1986.

[3] W. Fick, T. ODoherty, A. J. Griffiths
and N. Syred, Thermal characterization of
Swirl burners, Proceeding of Energy and
Excerpt from the Proceedings of the COMSOL Multiphysics User's Conference 2005 Stockholm
environment towards the year 2000,
Capri 1996.

[4] Giammartini, S. Sidoti, G. Coghe, A.
Solero, Caratterizzazione fluidodinamica,
termica e chimica di un bruciatore
avanzato, a bassa produzione di NOx,
49th Congresso Nazionale ATI, 1994.




Corrisponding author:
gcamma@diim.unict.it
cammaratagiuliano@tin.it
phone: +39 095 7382452
Excerpt from the Proceedings of the COMSOL Multiphysics User's Conference 2005 Stockholm