Development And Evaluation of a Novel Fuel Injector Design Method Using Hybrid-Additive Manufacturing

Pennsylvania State University will provide new design methodologies to address the critical operational issues in low-emissions, fuel-flexible, high efficiency gas turbine combustors by developing a design optimization tool that simultaneously optimizes fuel injector hardware and the combustor flow field with optimization functions and constraints that considers both combustor performance and manufacturability using advanced additive manufacturing (AM) methods. This tool will use large-eddy simulation, hydrodynamic stability analysis, and constraints based on both flow/flame stability, as well as AM limitations, to optimize both the flow and the shape of the fuel injector simultaneously using a constrained optimization framework. The resulting designs will be additively manufactured and post-processed using state-of-the-art technologies with a focus on post-processing methods that allow for optimal flow over aerodynamic components. The fuel injectors will be tested at a range of operating conditions in a model gas turbine combustor facility to characterize the performance of the new injector designs. This project will be conducted with Solar Turbines in the areas of manufacturing methods, combustion simulation, and overall combustion design. The results of this partnership will be a design tool that can be integrated into current standard design practices in industry and reshape the design space for this critical hot-section component. These methods could be also be extended to other hot-section components where multi-disciplinary optimization is required, including combustor transition pieces, turbine nozzle vanes, and turbine blades.