Experimental study on NOx emission correlation of fuel staged combustion in a LPP combustor at high pressure based on NO-chemiluminescence

Experimental investigations on NO_x emissions of a single-cup, Lean Premixed Prevaporized (LPP), module combustor were carried out at elevated inlet temperature and pressure up to 810 K and 2.0 MPa, close to the real operating conditions of aero-engine combustors. This LPP combustor adopts centrally staged fuel injections which could produce separated stratified swirling spray flame. In the NO_x emissions measurements, the ranges of dome equivalence ratio and fuel stage ratio were from 0.55 to 0.58 and 8% to 24%, respectively. The optical diagnosis on separated stratified swirling spray flame were carried out with fuel stage ratio changing from 15% to 30%. Therefore, NO* and OH* chemiluminescence images were obtained. The results show that NO_x emissions increase with the increase of the fuel stage ratio. And from the chemiluminescence images, the main flame and pilot flame are found weakly coupled. The pilot flame plays a significant role in NO_x emission production because of its higher adiabatic flame temperature. Based on the results of chemiluminescence optical tests, a new NO_x emission prediction model is proposed based on the Lefebvre’s single flame model. The estimate of local equivalence ratio of the pilot stage’s non-premixed flame is modified considering the characteristics of spray combustion, and a “PLUS” emission prediction model suitable for separated stratified swirling spray flame is obtained. Compared to the experimental data, the “PLUS” model exhibits a good prediction in a range of ±13% of deviation.