In this thesis, low-order nonlinear models for the prediction of the nonlinear behaviour of thermoacoustic systems are developed. These models are based on thermoacoustic networks, in which linear acoustics is combined with a nonlinear heat release model. The acoustic networks considered in this thesis can take into account mean flow and non-trivial acoustic reflection coefficients, and are cast in state-space form to enable analysis both in the frequency and time domains. Starting from linear analysis, the stability of thermoacoustic networks is investigated, and the use of adjoint methods for understanding the role of the system's parameters on its stability is demonstrated. Then, a nonlinear analysis using various state-of-the-art methods is performed, to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each method. Two novel frameworks that fill some gaps in the available methods are developed: the first, called Flame Double Input Describing Function (FDIDF), is an extension of the Flame Describing Function (FDF). The FDIDF approximates the flame nonlinear response when it is forced simultaneously with two frequencies, whereas the FDF is limited to one frequency. Although more expensive to obtain, the FDIDF contains more nonlinear information than the FDF, and can predict periodic and quasiperiodic oscillations. It is shown how, in some cases, it corrects the prediction of the FDF about the stability of thermoacoustic oscillations. The second framework developed is a weakly nonlinear formulation of the thermoacoustic equations in the Rijke tube, in which the acoustic response is not limited to a single-Galerkin mode, and is embedded in a state-space model. The weakly nonlinear analysis is strictly valid only close to the expansion point, but is much cheaper than any other available method. The above methods are applied to relatively simple thermoacoustic configurations, in which the nonlinear heat release model is that of a laminar conical flame or an electrical heater. However, in real gas turbines more complex flame shapes are found, for which no reliable low-order models exist. Two models are developed in this thesis for turbulent bluff-body stabilised flames: one for a perfectly premixed flame, in which the modelling is focused on the flame-flow interaction, accounting for the presence of recirculation zones and temperature gradients; the second for imperfectly premixed flames, in which equivalence ratio fluctuations, modelled as a passive scalar field, dominate the heat release response. The second model was shown to agree reasonably well with experimental data, and was applied in an industrial modelling project.

Thermoacoustic instability is one of the most significant problems faced in the design of some combustion systems. Thermoacoustic oscillations arise due to feedback between acoustic waves and unsteady heat release rate when the fluctuating heat release rate is sufficiently in phase with the unsteady pressure. The primary aim of designers is to design linearly stable thermoacoustic systems in which these dangerous oscillations do not arise. In thermoacoustics, adjoint-based sensitivity analysis has shown promise at predicting the parameters which have the most influence on the linear growth and decay rates as well as oscillation frequency observed during periods of linear growth and decay. Therefore, adjoint-based methods could prove to be a valuable tool for developing optimal passive control solutions. This thesis aims to develop novel experimental sensitivity analysis techniques and provide a first comparison with the predictions of adjoint-based sensitivity analysis. In this thesis experimental sensitivity analysis is performed on (i) a vertical electrically-driven Rijke tube, and (ii) a vertical flame-driven Rijke tube. On the electrically-driven Rijke tube, the feedback sensitivity is studied by investigating the shift in linear growth and decay rates and oscillation frequency observed during periods of linear growth and decay due to the introduction of a variety of passive control devices. On the flame-driven Rijke tube, the base-state sensitivity is studied by investigating how the linear growth and decay rates as well as oscillation frequency during periods of linear growth and decay change as the convective time delay of the flame is modified. Adjoint-based sensitivity analysis gives the shift in linear growth and decay rate and the oscillation frequency when parameters are changed. This thesis provides experimental measurements of the same quantities, for comparison with the numerical sensitivity analysis, opening up new avenues for the development, implementation and validation of optimal passive control strategies for more complex thermoacoustic systems.

No description available.

Increasingly stringent emissions regulations have led combustion system designers to look for more environmentally combustion strategies. For gas turbine combustion, one promising technology is lean premixed combustion, which results in lower flame temperatures and therefore the possibility of significantly reduced nitric oxide emissions. While lean premixed combustion offers reduced environmental impacts, it has been observed to experience increased possibility of the occurrence of combustion instabilities, which may damage hardware and reduce efficiency. Thermoacoustic combustion instabilities occur when oscillations in the combustor acoustics and oscillations in the flame heat release rate form a closed feedback loop, through one of two possible mechanisms. The first is direct coupling which occurs due to the mean mass flow oscillations induced by the acoustic velocity. Secondly, the acoustics may couple with the flame due to acoustic interactions with fuel/air mixing, resulting in an oscillating equivalence ratio. Only velocity coupling was considered in this study. The methodology used in this study is analysis of instabilities through linear systems theory, requiring knowledge of the individual transfer functions making up the closed-loop system. Methods already exist by which combustor acoustics may be found. However, significant gaps still remain in knowledge of the nature of flame dynamics. Prior knowledge in literature about the flame transfer function suggests that the flame behaves as a low-pass filter, with cutoff frequency on the order of hundreds of hertz. Nondimensionalization of the frequency by flame length scales has been observed to result in a convenient scaling for the flame transfer function, suggesting that the flame dynamics may be dominated by spatial effects. This work was proposed in two parts to extend and apply the body of knowledge on flame dynamics. The phase one goal of this study was to further understand this relationship between the flame heat release rate dynamics and the dynamics of the reaction zone size. The second goal of this work was to apply this flame transfer function knowledge to predictions of instability, validated against measurements in an unstable combustor. Both of these goals meet an existing practical need, providing a design tool for prediction of potential thermoacoustic instabilities in a combustor at the design stage.Measurements of the flame transfer function were made in a swirl-stabilized, lean-premixed combustor. The novel portion of these measurements was the inclusion of spatial resolution of the heat release rate dynamics. By using a speaker, a sine dwell excitation to the velocity was introduced over the range of 10-400Hz. Measurements were then made of the input (inlet velocity) and output (heat release rate, or flame size) resulting in the flame transfer function. The spatial dynamics measurement was approached through several measures of the flame size: the volume and offset distance to the center of the heat release. Each was obtained from deconvoluted, phase averaged images of the flame, referenced to the speaker excitation signal. The results of these measurements showed that the spatial dynamics for each of these three measures were virtually identical to the heat release rate dynamics. This suggests a quite important result, namely that the flame heat release rate dynamics are completely determined by the dynamics of the flame structure. Therefore, prediction of flow structure interaction with the flame distribution is crucial to predict the dynamics of the flame. These spatially resolved transfer function measurements were used in conjunction with the linear closed-loop model to make predictions of instability. These predictions were made by applying the Bode stability criterion to the open-loop system transfer function. This criterion states that instabilities may occur at frequencies where the heat release rate and acoustic oscillations occur in phase and the system gain has a value greater than unity. Performing this analysis on the combined system transfer function yielded results that agreed quite well with actual instability measurements made in the combustor. Closed-loop predictions identified two possible modes for instability, both of which were observed experimentally. One mode resulted from an acoustic peak around 160 Hz, and occurred at lean equivalence ratios. A second mode occurred at lower frequencies (100-150 Hz) and was associated with the increase in flame transfer function gain at increasing equivalence ratios. These are some of the first successful predictions of combustion instability based on linear systems theory. When multiple modes were predicted, it was assumed that if non-linear effects were to be considered, the lower frequency mode would become the dominant mode at these operating conditions due to its higher gain margin. Also of note is that in the practical system, high frequency oscillations are observed, but not predicted, associated with harmonics of the low frequency mode due to the linear nature of the predictions. While these non-linear effects are not captured, the linear predictive capability is thought to be most important, as from a practical perspective, instabilities should be avoided altogether. The primary findings of this study have significant applications to modeling and prediction of combustion dynamics. The classic heat release rate flame transfer function was observed to coincide almost exactly with the flame size transfer functions. The time scales observed in these transfer functions correspond to convective length scales in the combustor, suggesting a fluid mechanical basis of the heat release rate response. Additionally, linear systems theory predictions of instability based on the measured flame transfer functions were proved capable of capturing the stability of the actual combustor with a reasonable degree of accuracy. These predictions should have considerable application to design level avoidance of combustion instability in practical systems. / Ph. D.

Thermoacoustics is a field of study which includes devices purpose-built to exploit the phenomenal interaction between heat and sound. Thermoacoustics has been demonstrated as an effective technology which can potentially serve a variety of purposes such as cryogenics, cost-effective domestic refrigeration or electricity generation, without adverse environmental impact or commercial drawbacks such as expensive construction or maintenance costs or high part counts. The mechanisms by which thermoacoustic devices operate at low amplitudes have been identified and effective design tools and methods are available, but the precise heat and mass transfer which occurs deep inside the core of thermoacoustic devices at high amplitudes cannot at present be precisely determined experimentally, and to date have been estimated using only relatively simple or one-dimensional computational domains. It is expected that thermoacoustic devices will need to operate at relatively high pressure amplitudes for commercial and practical applications, to achieve power densities similar to competing technologies. Clearly, advancement of these models and the methods used to investigate them will enable a better understanding of the precise heat and mass transfer that occurs within such devices. Previous numerical studies have modelled a ‘thermoacoustic couple’ which consists of a single or several plates (often modelled with zero thickness) and channels within an oscillatory pressure field. In this thesis several improvements to the ‘thermoacoustic couple’ modelspace are introduced and modelled, and compared with published results. Using the commercial CFD software Fluent, a two-dimensional, segregated and second-order implicit numerical model was developed which solves equations for continuity of mass, momentum and energy. These equations were computed using second-order and double-precision discretisation of time, flow variables and energy. A computational domain is presented which is capable of modelling plates of zero or non-zero thickness, is ‘self-resonant’ and able to capture the entrance and exit effects at the stack plate edges. Studies are presented in which the acoustic pressure amplitude, the thickness of the plate (‘blockage ratio’) and the shape of the plate are varied to determine their influence upon the rate of effective heat transfer, flow structure and overall efficiency. The modelling of thermoacoustic couples with finite thickness presented in this thesis demonstrates that the finite thickness produces new results which show significant disturbances to the flow field and changes to the expected rate and distribution of heat flux along the stack plate. Results indicate that the thickness of the plate, t[subscript]s, strongly controls the generation of vortices outside the stack region and perturbs the flow structure and heat flux distribution at the extremities of the plate. Increases in t[subscript]s are also shown to improve the integral of the total heat transfer rate but at the expense of increased entropy generation. Another contribution of this thesis is the study of the effect that leading and trailing edge shapes of stack plates have on the performance of a thermoacoustic couple. In practice, typical parallel or rectangular section stack plates do not have perfectly square edges. The existing literature considers only rectangular or zero-thickness (1-D) plates. Hence a study was performed to evaluate the potential for gains in performance from the use of non-rectangular cross sections, such as rounded, aerofoil or bulbous shaped edges. Consideration of various types of stack plate edges show that performance improvements can be made from certain treatments to the stack plate tips or if possible, stack plate profiles. This thesis also considers the influence of thermophysical properties and phenomena associated with practical thermoacoustic devices to investigate the applicability of the numerical model to experimental outcomes. Comparisons made between results obtained using the numerical model, linear numerical formulations and experimental results suggest that the numerical model allows comparative study of various thermoacoustic systems for design purposes but is not yet of sufficient scope to fully characterise a realistic system and predict absolute levels of performance. However, the presented method of modelling thermoacoustic couples yields increased insight and detail of flow regimes and heat transportation over previous studies. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1316904 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Mechanical Engineering, 2008

Following the first report on electronic transport measurements of graphene, an atom-thick carbon material, many scientists have devoted effort to understand its fundamental properties. In this work, the mechanical properties of graphene-based materials, including monolayer graphene oxide and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown graphene, were determined using membrane structures. Furthermore, a membrane structure was used to demonstrate thermoacoustic sound generation from monolayer graphene. In order to realize the mechanical characterization, reproducible methods to fabricate graphene membranes were developed using dry and wet transfer techniques. A novel dry transfer technique produced graphene-sealed microchambers without trapping liquid inside. An improved wet transfer technique enabled the transfer of graphene onto perforated substrates. Monolayer graphene oxide was mechanically tested using scanning atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with finite element analysis of the data. The mechanical deformation was measured by scanning AFM tips over the suspended graphene oxide membranes. The Young’s modulus of the membranes was obtained by analyzing the deformation using finite element analysis together with a mapping technique. In addition, membranes with 2 and 3 layers of graphene oxide were identified using transmission electron microscopy and mechanically characterized. Moreover, these same methods were used for measuring mechanical properties of ultra-thin amorphous carbon membranes. Bulge tests, which apply uniform pressure on the suspended membrane, revealed the mechanical behavior of polycrystalline graphene grown on copper foils by chemical vapor deposition. In particular, the effect of grain boundaries on the elastic properties of polycrystalline graphene was studied by correlating its Young’s modulus with the density of grain boundaries within the membranes. It was observed that a large number of grain boundaries softened the graphene membranes. Graphene, along with monolayer hexagonal boron nitride, is the ultimate limit of thin materials. Thus, it is an ideal candidate as a thermoacoustic sound source because of its low heat capacity per unit area. The work presented here provides the first demonstration of thermoacoustic sound generation from large-area monolayer graphene. A fundamental understanding of the influence of the underlying substrates was achieved by comparing the acoustic performance of graphene membranes on various patterned substrates with different porosities. / text

Combustion instability plagues the combustion community in a wide range of applications. This un-solved problem is especially prevalent and expensive in aerospace propulsion and ground power generation. The challenges associated with understanding and predicting combustion instability lie in the flame response to the acoustic field. One of the more complicated flame response mechanisms is the velocity coupled flame response, where the flame responds dynamically to the acoustic velocity as well as the vortically induced velocity field excited by the acoustics. This vortically induced, or hydrodynamic, velocity field holds critical importance to the flame response but is computationally expensive to predict, often requiring high fidelity CFD computations. Furthermore, its behavior can be a strong function of the numerous flow parameters that change over the operability map of a combustor. This research focuses on a nominally two dimensional bluff body combustor, which has rich hydrodynamic stability behavior with a manageable number of stability parameters. The work focuses first on experimentally characterizing the dynamical flow and flame behavior. Next, the research shifts focus toward hydrodynamic stability theory, using it to explain the physical phenomena observed in the experimental work. Additionally, the hydrodynamic stability work shows how the use of simple, model analysis can identify the important stability parameters and elucidate their governing physical roles. Finally, the research explores the forced response of the flow and flame while systematically varying the underlying hydrodynamic stability characteristics. In the case of longitudinal combustion instability of highly preheated bluff body combustors, it shows that conditions where an acoustic mode frequency equals the hydrodynamic global mode frequency are not especially dangerous from a combustion instability standpoint, and may actually have a reduced heat release response. This demonstrates the very non-intuitive role that the natural hydrodynamic flow stability plays in the forced heat release response of the flame. For the fluid mechanics community, this work contributes to the detailed understanding of both unforced and forced bluff body combustor dynamics, and shows how each is influenced by the underlying hydrodynamics. In particular, it emphasizes the role of the density-shear layer offset, and shows how its extreme sensitivity leads to complicated flow dynamics. For the flow-combustor community as a whole, the work reviews a pre-existing method to obtain the important flow stability parameters, and demonstrates a novel way to link those parameters to the governing flow physics. For the combustion instability community, this thesis emphasizes the importance of the hydrodynamic stability characteristics of the flow, and concludes by offering a paradigm for consideration of the hydrodynamics in a combustion instability problem.

Depuis l'introduction du moteur à réaction pour la propulsion des avions dans les années 1950, l'acoustique est devenue d'un grand intérêt pour l'industrie du moteur. Alors que les turboréacteurs initiaux étaient dominés par le bruit de jet, l'introduction du moteur à turbofan dans les années 1960 a permis d'atténuer le bruit de jet, mais a introduit le bruit de soufflante. Dans les années 1970, grâce à de nouvelles conceptions avancées pour la réduction du bruit, une réduction majeure du bruit des avions s'en est suivie et la contribution du bruit de combustion a été remise en question. En effet, une réglementation plus restrictive du bruit pourrait exiger que le bruit de fan et de jet soient réduits au point où une réduction du bruit de combustion devienne également nécessaire. En outre, la conception des chambres de combustion est pilotée uniquement par la restriction des polluants chimiques produits par la combustion, l'efficacité et la consommation. L'impact de ces nouveaux concepts sur le bruit de combustion n'est actuellement pas une contrainte prise en compte lors de la conception. Avant d'envisager de réduire le bruit de combustion, il faut d'abord en comprendre les différents mécanismes. Cependant, proposer une méthode de prédiction pour le bruit de combustion n'est pas une tâche facile en raison des multiples interactions physiques impliquées lors des processus de combustion. De nombreuses expériences existent pour évaluer le bruit de combustion causé par les flammes ou des chambres de combustion simplifiées. Cependant, seuls quelques-uns considèrent le chemin de propagation complet du bruit de combustion provenant d'un moteur, car il est difficile d'isoler cette source acoustique du bruit des autres modules du moteur. Les méthodes empiriques basées sur des extrapolations et des simplifications sont souvent utilisées pour prédire le bruit de combustion des moteurs aéronautiques. De nombreuses analogies acoustiques ont également été dérivées à partir de Lighthill. Les travaux de cette thèse proposent d'étudier le bruit de combustion provenant d'un moteur d'avion à l'aide d'une chaine de calcul traitant différents modules de la génération du bruit de combustion à sa propagation en champ lointain. Ils mettent en évidence l'importance du bruit de combustion pour différents points de fonctionnement. Les mécanismes générateurs du bruit seront identifiés dans la chambre de combustion. Le rôle de la turbine en tant qu'atténuateur le bruit et générateur de bruit indirect sera évalué ainsi que la propagation en champ lointain en considérant des milieux inhomogènes. Enfin, uns stratégie alternative sera également proposée afin de considérer l'interaction entre le bruit de combustion et le bruit de jet. Pour se faire des LES de jet forcé par le bruit de combustion seront réalisées. Une nouvelle approche sera proposée à partir de ces résultats qui semblent montrer que le bruit de combustion a un impact sur la turbulence du jet. / Since the introduction of jet engine for aircraft propulsion in the 1950's, acoustics has become of great interest to the engine industry. While the initial turbojets were jet noise dominated, the introduction of turbofan engine in the 1960's gave relief in jet noise, but introduced fan noise. In the 1970's, with advanced noise reduction design features which provided a major reduction in aircraft noise, combustion noise became an interrogation. Indeed, more restrictive noise regulations could require that noise from the fan and jet be reduced to the point where combustion noise reduction may be required. Moreover, burner designs is controlled solely by the restriction of chemical pollutants produced by combustion, efficiency and consumption. The impact of these new concepts on combustion noise is not a strong constraint for design. Before considering to reduce combustion noise, it is necessary to first understand the different mechanisms. However, proposing a prediction method for combustion noise is not an easy task due to the multiple physical interactions involved during the combustion processes. Many experiments exist to evaluate the combustion noise from flames or combustion test rig. However, only a few include the complete propagation path of combustion noise within an engine device as it is difficult to isolate this acoustic source from the noise of the other engine modules. Empirical methods based on extrapolations and simplifications are often used for the prediction of combustion noise within modern aero-engines. Numerous acoustic analogies have also been derived from Lighthill. The work of this thesis proposes to study the combustion noise coming from an aircraft engine using a computational chain treating different modules from the generation of combustion noise to its propagation in far field. The importance of combustion noise for different operating points is highlighted. The noise-generating mechanisms will be identified in the combustion chamber. The role of the turbine as a noise attenuator and indirect noise generator will be evaluated as well as the far-field propagation considering inhomogeneous fields. Finally, an alternative strategy will also be proposed in order to consider the interaction between combustion noise and jet noise. To do so, LES of jet flow forced with combustion noise will be performed. A new approach will be proposed based on these results which seem to show that the combustion noise has an impact on the turbulence of the jet.

Combustion noise is central to several efforts to curb aircraft emissions. Indeed, acoustic waves originating in the combustor are a major contributor to aircraft noise. Moreover, they can act as a trigger for thermoacoustic instabilities, the consequences of which may range from decreased efficiency to outright failure. Modern engines designed to lower NOx emissions are particularly susceptible to this phenomenon. Unsteady combustion generates acoustic waves — direct noise — as well as convected flow disturbances, such as entropic, vortical or compositional inhomogeneities. These disturbances generate additional acoustic waves — indirect noise — if they are accelerated. The main objectives of this thesis are to examine the validity of current theoretical models for indirect noise, and to propose new ones where needed. First, a one-dimensional theoretical framework for the direct and indirect noise produced in a reflective environment is presented. The direct noise produced by the addition of mass, momentum and energy to a flow is determined analytically. A model for the entropic and compositional noise generated at a compact nozzle is then derived, accounting for nozzles with non-uniform entropy. Finally, the effect of reverberation (i.e. repeated acoustic reflections) is determined analytically. This enables direct and indirect acoustic sources to be identified and separated within experimental data, while eliminating the effect of acoustic reflections. The framework is applied to a model experiment — the Cambridge Wave Generator — in which direct, entropic and compositional noise are generated. Direct and indirect noise models are validated using experimental measurements of the sound field resulting from air injection and extraction, heat addition and helium injection. For the first time, direct, entropic and compositional noise are clearly identified in the experimental data, and shown to be in line with theoretical predictions. The results provide the first experimental demonstration of the compositional noise mechanism, and show that isentropic nozzle models are inadequate in predicting the indirect noise generated at nozzles with substantial losses.

La conception d’un moteur thermoacoustique dépend de façon critique de la fiabilité des outils de prédiction théorique de ses performances. Une tentative pour réussir cette prédiction consiste à exploiter les coefficients de la matrice de transfert du noyau thermoacoustique (NTA) dans les modèles analytiques du moteur considéré. La matrice de transfert peut être obtenue soit par modélisation analytique, soit par des mesures acoustiques. Ce dernier cas, cependant, se présente comme une option intéressante pour éviter d’avoir à considérer la complexité des éléments constitutifs du NTA. La méthode analytique est tout d’abord présentée; elle ne vise que les cas de matériaux à géométrie simple. En ce qui concerne l’approche expérimentale, une méthode classique à deux charges est appliquée dans deux configurations différentes et, en outre, une méthode alternative basée sur des mesures d’impédance est développée ici et appliquée également. Une comparaison entre ces deux approches est évaluée au moyen d’une analyse de sensibilité. Différents matériaux sont testés, chacun jouant le rôle de l’élément poreux à l’intérieur d’un NTA soumis à plusieurs gradients de température. Seulement la méthode alternative s’avère performante pour tous les matériaux. Les matrices de transfert mesurées sont utilisées dans des modèles dédiés à prédire la fréquence de fonctionnement et le gain d’amplification thermoacoustique intrinsèque d’une machine équipée du NTA caractérisé au préalable. Une analyse comparative montre dans quelles conditions le seuil de déclenchement thermoacoustique est prévu ou non pour chaque matériau; elle révèle aussi les limites dimensionnelles de l’appareil expérimental pour mieux répondre aux estimations de performances. / The design of a thermoacoustic (TA) engine is improved towards the reliability of its performance prediction. An attempt to succeed in this prediction comes from the knowledge of the TA core (TAC) transfer matrix, which can be exploited in analytical models for the given engine. The transfer (T) matrix itself may be obtained either by analytical modeling or acoustic measurements. The latter consist in an interesting option to avoid thermo-physical or geometrical considerations of complex structures, as the TAC is treated as a black box. However, before proceeding with the experimental approach, an analytical solution is presented for comparison purposes, but it contemplates only cases of materials of simple geometry. Concerning the experimental approach, a classical two-load method is applied in two different configurations and an alternative method based on impedance measurements is here developed and applied. A comparison between these approaches is evaluated by means of a sensitivity analysis. Different materials are tested, each one playing the porous element allotted inside the TAC, which is in its turn submitted to several different regimes of steady state temperature gradient. The alternative method is the only one successful for all materials. In this manner, the measured transfer matrices are applied into a proper modeling devoted to predict both the operating frequency and the intrinsic TA amplification gain. A comparative analysis shows in what conditions the TA threshold is expected or not for each material; it also reveals the limitations of the experimental apparatus in what concerns the appropriate dimensions to better fit the performance investigations.