6th World Conference on Experimental Heat

Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Thermodynamics

April 17-21, 2005, Matsushima, Miyagi, Japan

Numerical and experimental analysis of a scaled curved-vane flame

stabilizer. Cold flow characterization.
Escalera R.*, Moreno M.*, Chávez A.* and Medina E.**
*Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Calle Framboyanes Lote 11 Manzana 2
Ciudad Industrial Bruno Pagliai, 91697 Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico
**Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D. F.
E-mail : rescaler@imp.mx

Keywords : Curved vane flame stabilizer, particle image velocimetry measurements, combustion, HFO burners, low NOx and particle
emissions.

1. INTRODUCTION
The burner aerodynamics achieved by the curved vane flame
stabilizer has a direct influence on overall combustion
performance. However, swirl flow through this mechanical
device is not well understood. In the past, due to lack of a good
way of measuring swirl flow effectiveness, mostly empirical trial
and error was used in industrial research to select the best curved
vane flame stabilizer. Now, with the aid of computer fluid
dynamics (CFD) codes and particle image velocimetry (PIV), a
non intrusive measurement technique, it is possible to
characterize the aerodynamic produced by a proper curved vane
flame stabilizer.
This paper presents the results of a comprehensive
experimental and computational work in order to improve burner
aerodynamics and acting together with a good quality heavy fuel
oil atomization to reduce flame length, and to achieve lower
production of particulates and NOx emissions.
The burner elements were designed and optimized using Figure 1. Sketch of the Plexiglas model used for the field
FLUENT CFD code, taking as parametric analysis the swirl velocity characterization using PIV technique.
number, mass flow through the flame stabilizer, pressure drop,
length and shape of the recirculation zone and path lines followed
by particles. The experimental work was carried out in a Plexiglas
model facility to reproduce and to characterize the airflow
aerodynamic pattern. The velocity profiles were measured using
PIV technique.
The results obtained with CFD are compared with those
obtained experimentally with PIV, and the differences are
discussed. The new burner design is currently under a programme
for installation and testing in a 75 MW boiler capacity of a
Mexican oil refinery.

2. EXPERIMENT
Figure 1 is a sketch of the experimental model, which consists
of a 400 mm width, 600 mm high and 600 mm length Plexiglas
box. The air flow at room temperature with the seeding particles
is forced by a fan towards the burner throat, where it is allocated
the flame stabilizer under characterization. A Dantec Dynamics
PIV2100 was used to obtain instantaneous velocity fields on the
longitudinal plane downstream the flame stabilizer. Figure 2
shows the experimental rig during a test. The flame stabilizer
under characterization is completely described in reference 1.
Figure 2. Experimental rig during a test.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Figure 3 shows the surface mesh generated in Gambit and used
with FLUENT code to predict the field velocity and recirculation
zone in the box, where the air jet discharges, downstream the
flame stabilizer.
Figure 4 shows the axial velocity contours predicted by
 6th World Conference on Experimental Heat
Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Thermodynamics
April 17-21, 2005, Matsushima, Miyagi, Japan

FLUENT, observing the well defined recirculation zone.

Figure 5 shows the particles trajectory through the flame
stabilizer, predicted by FLUENT,
Figure 6 shows the field velocity measured with the PIV. The
recirculation zone is delimited from zero to 70 mm of X position
and from 35 to 95 mm in Y position. The position X = 0
corresponds to the front wall of the box, because it was not
possible to measure inside the burner throat, due to an excess of
light reflection in this zone.

Figure 6. Field velocity measured using PIV technique

4. CONCLUSIONS
It is observed comparing figures 4 and 6 that the recirculation
zone is shorter with the PIV result, due to the following reasons:
a) The velocity profile at the inlet condition is not
uniform. This situation should be corrected modifying
the Plexiglas burner length in order to align the air
flow
Figure 3. Geometry and surface mesh of the model under b) The recirculation zone and the flow around it, is not
prediction with FLUENT code. symmetrical. This condition should be corrected
modifying the flame stabilizer model

REFERENCES

1. Escalera R., Chávez A. and Bolado R., Burner Design

Retrofit for heavy Fuel Oil in Mexican power Stations,
Experimental Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and
Thermodynamics 2001, vol. 1, pp. 499-504,2001.

Figure 4. Contours of axial velocity, showing the recirculation

zone produced by the curved vane flame stabilizer.

Figure 5. Path lines followed by the injection of a particulates

group, showing the effective direction change in the curved
vanes, and a well defined recirculation zone developed
downstream the flame stabilizer.