Liquid fuel injected into gas turbine combustors has to undergo atomization in order to increase the available fuel surface area for fast evaporation and subsequent combustion. Liquid injection and atomization play a key role in determining the mixing quality of fuel and oxidizer and thus directly impact stability, performance, and pollutant formation of the ensuing combustion process. Cascade has been involved in modeling and simulation of multiphase flow processes in the last several years through collaboration with aircraft engine manufacturers and the US Department of Defense. CharLES combines high-fidelity gas phase flow simulations with phase interface tracking (using a levelset approach), and detailed models for drop evaporation and combustion. As an example of CharLESsimulations for multiphase flow, the atomization of a liquid jet in a gaseous cross flow is shown on the right. The initial atomization of the jet creates complex structures and ligaments directly affected by turbulence; downstream of the injection liquid droplets of disparate sizes undergoes further breakup and evaporation.
Atomization of liquid turbulent jet in gaseous cross flow
