Effects of scaling laws on flow and combustion characteristics of lean premixed swirl burners

Modern heavy gas turbine combustors are always huge, so it is difficult and costly to do experiment. Thus, geometry scaling method has come into sight. In this paper, based on a single lean premixed swirl burner, validated computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model was used to study the effects of different scaling laws on various scalling models from 1/2 to 1/10. Experimental study on prototype combustor and the 3/5 scale model under full operating condition is also carried out to verify the NOx emission under different laws. Results showed that DaI scaling law was able to maintain good similarity under combustion state when scaling factor = 1/2–1/5, while Re scaling law would bring significant changes on flow and flame characteristics. The emission of NOx is also similar to prototype by using Dai law. But Re law could keep flow characteristics under non-combustion state. It is suggested that Dai law is suitable for lean premixed swirl combustor geometry scaling.