Numerical evaluation of low-grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustor

Low-grade gas produced from waste biomass fuels is getting more attention as an additional heat source for boilers to cope with the rising constraints on carbon footprint. However, the main challenge is to achieve complete combustion of the gas with acceptable burner outlet temperature while maintai...

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Main Authors: Chai Yik Zhien, K.A. Al-attab, Ibrahim I. Enagi, Abdul Rahman Mohamed, Irfan Anjum Badruddin, Sarfaraz Kamangar, M. Ahmed Ali Baig
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25002680
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author Chai Yik Zhien
K.A. Al-attab
Ibrahim I. Enagi
Abdul Rahman Mohamed
Irfan Anjum Badruddin
Sarfaraz Kamangar
M. Ahmed Ali Baig
author_facet Chai Yik Zhien
K.A. Al-attab
Ibrahim I. Enagi
Abdul Rahman Mohamed
Irfan Anjum Badruddin
Sarfaraz Kamangar
M. Ahmed Ali Baig
author_sort Chai Yik Zhien
collection DOAJ
description Low-grade gas produced from waste biomass fuels is getting more attention as an additional heat source for boilers to cope with the rising constraints on carbon footprint. However, the main challenge is to achieve complete combustion of the gas with acceptable burner outlet temperature while maintaining simple and compact burner. Computational fluid dynamics was utilized to understand the hydrodynamic flow characteristics and combustion in the vane swirler geometry used in boilers. Low-grade producer gas from wood air-gasification was modeled and compared to pure syngas. The results are validated with experimental data and the accuracy of this work is ascertained. The effect of the combustion equivalence ratio and the different geometry parameters of swirl burner on flow and combustion characteristics were investigated. Elevation of swirl number at higher angles affected the mixing quality positively. Lean combustion at φ of 0.67 resulted in a significant drop in CO emissions down to around 1 ppm but with a considerable drop in chamber outlet temperature. On the other hand, stoichiometric combustion condition resulted in the highest temperature of 1891K while maintaining acceptable CO emissions of 47 ppm which represented the optimum operating condition. The best combustor geometry design was 1000 mm length, 150 mm diameter and 60o swirler angle.
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spelling doaj-art-2f6b3b72d1a2409f83515bfa9fd936442025-08-20T02:17:28ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-05-016910600810.1016/j.csite.2025.106008Numerical evaluation of low-grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustorChai Yik Zhien0K.A. Al-attab1Ibrahim I. Enagi2Abdul Rahman Mohamed3Irfan Anjum Badruddin4Sarfaraz Kamangar5M. Ahmed Ali Baig6School of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, Nibong Tebal, Penang, 14300, MalaysiaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, Nibong Tebal, Penang, 14300, Malaysia; Corresponding author.Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering Technology, Federal Polytechnic, P.M.B 55, Bida, Niger State, Nigeria; School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, Nibong Tebal, Penang, 14300, MalaysiaSchool of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, Nibong Tebal, Penang, 14300, MalaysiaMechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi Arabia; Corresponding author.Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, 61421, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, CMR Technical Campus, Kandlakoya, Medchal Road, Hyderabad, 501401, Telangana, India; Corresponding author.Low-grade gas produced from waste biomass fuels is getting more attention as an additional heat source for boilers to cope with the rising constraints on carbon footprint. However, the main challenge is to achieve complete combustion of the gas with acceptable burner outlet temperature while maintaining simple and compact burner. Computational fluid dynamics was utilized to understand the hydrodynamic flow characteristics and combustion in the vane swirler geometry used in boilers. Low-grade producer gas from wood air-gasification was modeled and compared to pure syngas. The results are validated with experimental data and the accuracy of this work is ascertained. The effect of the combustion equivalence ratio and the different geometry parameters of swirl burner on flow and combustion characteristics were investigated. Elevation of swirl number at higher angles affected the mixing quality positively. Lean combustion at φ of 0.67 resulted in a significant drop in CO emissions down to around 1 ppm but with a considerable drop in chamber outlet temperature. On the other hand, stoichiometric combustion condition resulted in the highest temperature of 1891K while maintaining acceptable CO emissions of 47 ppm which represented the optimum operating condition. The best combustor geometry design was 1000 mm length, 150 mm diameter and 60o swirler angle.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25002680Biomass gasificationLow-grade fuelsRenewable energyProducer gasSwirl burnerCFD simulation
spellingShingle Chai Yik Zhien
K.A. Al-attab
Ibrahim I. Enagi
Abdul Rahman Mohamed
Irfan Anjum Badruddin
Sarfaraz Kamangar
M. Ahmed Ali Baig
Numerical evaluation of low-grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustor
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Biomass gasification
Low-grade fuels
Renewable energy
Producer gas
Swirl burner
CFD simulation
title Numerical evaluation of low-grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustor
title_full Numerical evaluation of low-grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustor
title_fullStr Numerical evaluation of low-grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustor
title_full_unstemmed Numerical evaluation of low-grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustor
title_short Numerical evaluation of low-grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustor
title_sort numerical evaluation of low grade producer gas flow and combustion characteristics in swirl combustor
topic Biomass gasification
Low-grade fuels
Renewable energy
Producer gas
Swirl burner
CFD simulation
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25002680
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