Bruno Schuermans

Fellowship
Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellow

Appointment
2013

Institution
GE Power

Department
Gas Power Systems

Host
Thomas Sattelmayer

Focus Group
Advanced Stability Analysis

Short CV

Dr. Bruno Schuermans received his M. Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands in 1998. He joined the ABB Corporate Research Center in Switzerland to conduct research in the field of thermoacoustic combustion instabilities. In 2003, he obtained a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Swiss Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). His Ph.D. thesis was on the subject of modeling and active control of thermoacoustic instabilities. He is currently a Principal Engineer at Alstom in Switzerland where he leads a team that is responsible for the development of numerical and experimental methods for analysis of combustion dynamics of gas turbine combustion systems.

Bruno Schuermans is the holder of more than thirty patents in the field of combustion control, diagnostics and optimization.


Selected Awards

  • 2012, Alstom Innovation Award
  • 2011, Alstom Best Invention Award
  • 2009, Alstom Best Invention Award
  • 2010, ASME Best Paper Award
  • 2004, ASME Best Paper Award

Research Interests

Dr. Schuermans’ research focuses on developing tools for prediction and mitigation of thermoacoustic combustion instabilities. He combines analytical, numerical and experimental methods with techniques borrowed from control theory and data mining to solve complex real-world engineering problems such as: modeling of acoustic-flame interaction, experimental analysis of thermoacoustic systems, unsteady computational fluid dynamics in combination with system identification techniques, development of time domain hybrid thermoacoustic network models, self-tuning and model-based active combustion control methodologies, optimal design of passive acoustic control strategies, advanced optimization strategies applied to combustion control, data mining and statistical modeling of combustion systems. The experimental methods range from lab-scale tests to full-scale high-pressure tests and in-situ measurements at power plants. These tools are used to gain a better understanding of the physical mechanisms leading to thermoacoustic instability and to assists the development of novel combustion technologies for current and future generations of gas turbines. His current research focuses on the development of a stability analysis method for non-compact, high frequency nonlinear combustion dynamics.


Selected Publication

  • Noiray, Nicolas; Schuermans, Bruno: Theoretical and experimental investigations on damper performance for suppression of thermoacoustic oscillations. Journal of Sound and Vibration 331 (12), 2012, 2753-2763.
  • Singla, Ghislain; Noiray, Nicolas; Schuermans, Bruno: Combustion Dynamics Validation of an Annular Reheat Combustor. Volume 2: Combustion, Fuels and Emissions, Parts A and B , ASME , 2012.
  • Noiray, Nicolas; Bothien, Mirko; Schuermans, Bruno: Investigation of azimuthal staging concepts in annular gas turbines. Combustion Theory and Modelling 15 (5), 2011, 585-606.
  • Schuermans, Bruno; Guethe, Felix; Mohr, Wolfgang: Optical Transfer Function Measurements for Technically Premixed Flames. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power 132 (8), 2010, 081501.
  • Schuermans, Bruno; Guethe, Felix; Pennell, Douglas; Guyot, Daniel; Paschereit, Christian Oliver: Thermoacoustic Modeling of a Gas Turbine Using Transfer Functions Measured Under Full Engine Pressure. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power 132 (11), 2010, 111503.
  • Alemela, P.; Fanaca, D.; Hirsch, C.; Sattelmayer, T.; Schuermans, B.: Determination and scaling of thermo acoustic characteristics of premixed flames. International Journal of Spray and Combustion Dynamics 2 (2), 2010, 169-198.
  • SCHMITT, PATRICK; POINSOT, T.; SCHUERMANS, B.; GEIGLE, K. P.: Large-eddy simulation and experimental study of heat transfer, nitric oxide emissions and combustion instability in a swirled turbulent high-pressure burner. J. Fluid Mech. 570, 2007, 17.
  • Schuermans, Bruno; Luebcke, Holger; Bajusz, Denis; Flohr, Peter: Thermoacoustic Analysis of Gas Turbine Combustion Systems Using Unsteady CFD. Volume 2: Turbo Expo 2005 , ASME , 2005.
  • Campos-Delgado, D.U.; Schuermans, B.B.H.; Zhou, K.; Paschereit, C.O.; Gallestey, E.A.; Poncet, A.: Thermoacoustic instabilities: Modeling and control. IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology 11 (4), 2003, 429-447.
  • Paschereit, Christian Oliver; Schuermans, Bruno; Büche, Dirk: Combustion Process Optimization Using Evolutionary Algorithm. Volume 2: Turbo Expo 2003 , ASME , 2003.
  • Schuermans, Bruno; Bellucci, Valter; Paschereit, Christian Oliver: Thermoacoustic Modeling and Control of Multi Burner Combustion Systems. Volume 2: Turbo Expo 2003 , ASME , 2003.
  • Schuermans, Bruno B. H.; Polifke, Wolfgang; Paschereit, Christian Oliver: Modeling Transfer Matrices of Premixed Flames and Comparison With Experimental Results. Volume 2: Coal, Biomass and Alternative Fuels; Combustion and Fuels; Oil and Gas Applications; Cycle Innovations , ASME , 1999.

Publications as TUM-IAS-Fellow

2017

  • Berger, Frederik M.; Hummel, Tobias; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Pulsation-Amplitude-Dependent Flame Dynamics of High-Frequency Thermoacoustic Oscillations in Lean-Premixed Gas Turbine Combustors. Volume 4A: Combustion, Fuels and Emissions, ASME, 2017 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Hummel, Tobias; Berger, Frederik; Hertweck, Michael; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: High-Frequency Thermoacoustic Modulation Mechanisms in Swirl-Stabilized Gas Turbine Combustors—Part II: Modeling and Analysis. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 139 (7), 2017, 071502 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Hummel, Tobias; Berger, Frederik; Stadlmair, Nicolai; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Extraction of Linear Growth and Damping Rates of High-Frequency Thermoacoustic Oscillations From Time Domain Data. Volume 4A: Combustion, Fuels and Emissions, ASME, 2017 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Hummel, Tobias; Hammer, Klaus; Romero, Pedro; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Low-Order Modeling of Nonlinear High-Frequency Transversal Thermoacoustic Oscillations in Gas Turbine Combustors. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 139 (7), 2017, 071503 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Romero, P.; Hummel, T.; Berger, F.; Schuermans, B.; Sattelmayer, T.: Damping due to Acoustic Boundary Layer in High-frequency Transverse Modes. 24th International Congress on Sound and Vibration, 2017ICSV 2017 mehr… BibTeX
  • Stadlmair, Nicolai V.; Hummel, Tobias; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Thermoacoustic Damping Rate Determination From Combustion Noise Using Bayesian Statistics. Volume 4A: Combustion, Fuels and Emissions, ASME, 2017 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )

2016

  • Hummel, Tobias; Berger, Frederik; Hertweck, Michael; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: High-Frequency Thermoacoustic Modulation Mechanisms in Swirl-Stabilized Gas Turbine Combustors: Part Two — Modeling and Analysis. Volume 4B: Combustion, Fuels and Emissions, ASME, 2016 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Hummel, Tobias; Hammer, Klaus; Romero, Pedro; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Low-Order Modeling of Nonlinear High-Frequency Transversal Thermoacoustic Oscillations in Gas Turbine Combustors. Volume 4B: Combustion, Fuels and Emissions, ASME, 2016 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Schulze, Moritz; Hummel, Tobias; Klarmann, Noah; Berger, Frederik; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Linearized Euler Equations for the Prediction of Linear High-Frequency Stability in Gas Turbine Combustors. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 139 (3), 2016, 031510 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Schulze, Moritz; Hummel, Tobias; Klarmann, Noah; Berger, Frederik; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Linearized Euler Equations for the Prediction of Linear High-Frequency Stability in Gas Turbine Combustors. Volume 4B: Combustion, Fuels and Emissions, ASME, 2016 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )

2015

  • Hummel, T.; Schulze, M.; Schuermans, B.; Sattelmayer, T.: Reduced Order Modeling of Transversal and Non-Compact Combustion Dynamics. 22nd International Congress on Sound and Vibration, 2015 mehr… BibTeX
  • Hummel, Tobias; Temmler, Constanze; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Reduced-Order Modeling of Aeroacoustic Systems for Stability Analyses of Thermoacoustically Noncompact Gas Turbine Combustors. Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 138 (5), 2015, 051502 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Hummel, Tobias; Temmler, Constanze; Schuermans, Bruno; Sattelmayer, Thomas: Reduced Order Modeling of Aeroacoustic Systems for Stability Analyses of Thermoacoustically Non-Compact Gas Turbine Combustors. Volume 4B: Combustion, Fuels and Emissions, ASME, 2015 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )

2013

  • Bothien, Mirko R.; Noiray, Nicolas; Schuermans, Bruno: A Novel Damping Device for Broadband Attenuation of Low-Frequency Combustion Pulsations in Gas Turbines. J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power 136 (4), 2013, 041504 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Noiray, N.; Schuermans, B.: On the dynamic nature of azimuthal thermoacoustic modes in annular gas turbine combustion chambers. Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 469 (2151), 2013, 20120535-20120535 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )
  • Noiray, Nicolas; Schuermans, Bruno: Deterministic quantities characterizing noise driven Hopf bifurcations in gas turbine combustors. International Journal of Non-Linear Mechanics 50, 2013, 152-163 mehr… BibTeX Volltext ( DOI )