Effect of fuel molecular structure on soot formation in gas turbine combustion

The effect of fuel variations at the same hydrogen content on the formation of soot in a gas turbine combustor was studied. Six fuels were burned to a combustor over a matrix of about 50 test conditions with test conditions ranging over 500-1800 kPa (5-18 atm) pressure and 500-1000 K burner inlet temperature; fuel-air ratios were varied from 0.008-0.024. Flame radiation measurements were made through a sapphire window toward the end of the primary zone. The hydrogen content of the six test fuels ranged from 12.80 to 12.88%. Five fuels emphasized hydrocarbon types: (mono, di, and tricyclic), naphthenes (decalin) and partially hydrogenated aromatics (tetralin); the sixth fuel emphasized final boiling point.