CFD Simulation of Fluid Flow and Combustion Characteristics in Aero-Engine Combustion Chambers with Single and Double Fuel Inlets

Gas turbine engines are used in many applications such as power plants and aircrafts. The energy generated through fuel combustion has a significant impact on fluid flow characteristics and thrust force produced by gas turbine engines. This energy generation is based on the precise mixing of fuel and air with known proportions. The present research work attempts to examine the characteristics of fluid flow for aero-engine combustion in a chamber with either a single fuel inlet or multiple fuel inlets using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. Developed in Creo-6.0 parametric design software, the combustion chamber was modeled and simulated using the ANSYS CFX simulation platform to determine the pressure and other fluid flow-induced characteristics. The analysis was performed for both single fuel inlet and multiple fuel inlet combustion chamber designs. The outlet pressure of the combustion chamber is a key parameter in determining the combustion characteristics and subsequent gas expansion in gas turbine performance. Our results indicated that the outlet pressure from the double fuel inlet design was 49.04% higher than the single fuel inlet design. The thrust force (propulsion) in gas turbine engines is a result of the mass flow rate of exhaust gasses, as quantified by the gas exit velocity. Induced thrust on a combustor with double fuel inlet was 48.3% higher than the induced thrust in the single fuel inlet design, making the double fuel inlet design a more viable option. The higher outlet pressure obtained in the double fuel inlet design showed higher enthalpy generation and greater energy conversion into thrust. The cause of this higher enthalpy is attributed to better fuel combustion in the primary zone. It appears that the double fuel inlet design could improve total turbine efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and lower emissions.