| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 735627 | Optics and Lasers in Engineering | 2014 | 5 Pages |
•Laser ignition of natural gas and air was conducted in a low pressure combustion test rig.•Lean burn limit for laser ignition and standard high energy ignition was determined.•Time taken to light at lean burn limit for laser ignition and standard high energy ignition was determined.•Effect of air mass flow rate on combustion characteristics at air/fuel ratios approaching the lean burn limit was studied.
This work details a study of laser ignition in a low pressure combustion test rig, representative of an industrial gas turbine (SGT-400, Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd.) and for the first time investigates the effect of air mass flow rate on combustion characteristics at air/fuel ratios at the lean burn limit. Both the lean burn limit and time taken to light are essential in determining the suitability of a specified air/fuel ratio, especially in multi-chamber ignition applications. Through extension of the lean burn limit and reduction of the time taken to light, the operating window for ignition with regards to the air/fuel ratio can be increased, leading to greater reliability and repeatability of ignition. Ignition of a natural gas and air mixture at atmospheric pressure was conducted using both a standard high energy igniter and a laser ignition system utilizing a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser source operating at 1064 nm wavelength. A detailed comparison of the lean burn limit and time taken to light for standard ignition and laser ignition is presented.
