Fuel Stratification Influence on NO_x Emission in a Premixed Axial Reacting Jet-in-Crossflow at High Pressure

Three reacting jet-in-crossflow (JiC) methane/air flames were numerically investigated in a lean axially staged combustor at a pressure of five atmospheres. A detailed chemistry Star-CCM+ computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was used with 53 species considered and the result of turbulence-governed finite-rate modeling was validated with in-house experimental data. An optically accessible test section features three side windows, allowing local flow and flame analysis with particle image velocimetry (PIV) and CH* chemiluminescence as well as pressure, temperature, and species exit measurements. The research objective was to predict and verify NO_x formation of the premixed 12.7 mm axial jet. Three headend temperature levels were investigated along with three premixed jets at lean (φ_Jet = 0.75), near-stoichiometric (φ_Jet = 1.07), and rich (φ_Jet = 1.78) axial fuel line equivalence ratio. Based on the matching exit emission concentration, global emission benefits were investigated by adjustment of the fuel stratification. The perfectly premixed methane/air flames of this study were shown to ignite at the lee-side of the jet. For the elevated headend temperature level T = 1800 K, the flame extended beyond the windward jet trajectory and caused high axial NO production. For industry application, a firing temperature of 1920 K was achieved with a NO_x optimized fuel split of 25%, combining a lean headend (φ_Headend = 0.61) with a rich (φ_Jet = 1.78) jet equivalence ratio. This operating point allowed minimization of the combustor residence time at temperatures above 1700 K as well as combustion in a compact flame at the jet lee-side along the counter rotating vortex pair.