Oxy-combustion flow field study under power-generating and CO2-capturing Matiant cycle conditions and its influence on the turbine inlet conditions

Matiant cycles are one of the oxy-combustion ways to capture CO2 in power generation. This article analyzes the generated flow field when performing combustion in similar conditions to those in Matiant combustion chambers. It is complementary to other studies in which oxy-combustion is studied from a chemical or cycle performance perspective. The used methodology comprises CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations. These simulations took into account the study of reacting flows. The detailed GRI-Mech 3.0 reaction mechanism was used along with the detailed Eddy Dissipation Concept model (EDC). Air and pure CO2 working fluids were also studied to provide reference cases. The pressure effect was studied, taking into account the range of different modern compressors. Some target results were the temperature field and the conditions at the turbine-stage inlet. It was found a different flow field evolution compared to having a working fluid composed of air. Numerical data of the Matiant temperature deviations on the symmetry axis, taking the air oxy-combustion case as reference, in a point-to-point comparison, are provided. At a 30 atm operating pressure, the Matiant case temperature at the outlet was 88.1% of the air coflow case oxy-combustion temperature. These temperature differences decrease when increasing the operating pressure.

Automated summary

This study analyzes the flow field during combustion using oxy-combustion in conditions similar to Matiant combustion chambers. Methodology involves CFD simulations with detailed reaction mechanisms and models, considering different working fluids and pressures. Findings show that temperature differences decrease with increasing operating pressure in Matiant cycles.