Prediction of flow and combustion characteristics for a gas turbine combustor burning low heating value fuel

Low Calorific Value (LCV) gases can be by-products of many industrial processes. Also they can be produced through anaerobic digestion of municipalities and agriculture wastes. These gases represent a viable option to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The free release of these gases represents a threat to the environment due to their high concentration of CO and unburned hydrocarbon. Accordingly, use of these gases as a fuel represents a mitigating measure. These gases are characterized by their low heating value due to their high content of Nitrogen and CO. Moreover, they are characterized by variation in their chemical composition, depending on characteristics of the industrial process or on batch composition of the biomass. The variation in gas composition represents a challenge to the use of these gases as a fuel in gas turbines.In this study, a numerical model has been developed to simulate the flow and combustion in a gas turbine combustor of type (Winnox-TUD-Combustor) burning low heating value gas. The model relies on the computational code “FLUENT” which was used to solve the governing equations. The model is characterized by being; steady, turbulent, and axisymmetric with swirl. The combustion process has been simulated as a non-premixed non-adiabatic combustion.The study includes the impact of several design and operational parameters on the characteristics of flow and combustion inside the combustion chamber. These parameters include; ratio of secondary to primary air, ratio of tertiary to primary air, fuel swirl ratio, number of inlets of the secondary air and their directions. Five indicators have been used to evaluate the impacts of the aforementioned design and operating parameters on the combustor performance. These indicators include; specific NOx emission, temperature distribution, pressure loss, and combustion efficiency of the gas turbine combustor. Also the homogeneity of the temperature