CFD Modeling of a Gas Turbine Combustor Air Swirler Effect

Abstract The effect of two different combustor swirlers, radial and axial configurations, on gas turbine combustor performance was numerically investigated. Numerical data indicated that these swirlers generated two distinctly different flow patterns and fuel distributions in the primary zone. The radial swirler provided a widely dispersed, flat swirling mechanism attached to the swirler face with the possibility of swirler and liner wall fuel impingement. In contrast, the axial swirler provided a narrower, centralized fuel pattern, influenced partially by primary air jets, with less chance of fuel impingement on the wall. Available experimental data for the radial swirler were compared to analysis to validate the modeling and showed that excellent agreement exists between prediction and measured data. The CFD model has been demonstrated as a valid tool for aerothermal, combustion and emission evaluations for combustor design and development.