Date of Award

6-2007

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering

Department

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

First Advisor

Paul I. King, PhD

Abstract

Research was conducted on a novel combustor design using a highly centrifugal loaded circumferential cavity to enhance flame speeds and lower mixing time to lower overall combustion time achieving improved efficiency and stability. This Ultra-Compact Combustor (UCC) is fed air with a bulk swirl, resembling gas leaving a compressor without the final set of compressor guide vanes to straighten the flow, at higher than normal Mach numbers for a combustor. The larger Mach numbers in the combustor do not cause a total pressure loss in excess of what Rayleigh theory would dictate for the given heat addition taking place within the combustor. Tests were conducted on the UCC with a clockwise or counter-clockwise swirl direction in the circumferential cavity using JP-8 and natural gas derived Fischer-Tropsch synthetic jet fuel with each direction. The results for lean blow out stability, combustion efficiency, and emissions proved that the best configuration uses counterclockwise swirl. The two fuels performed equally with no noticeable differences between JP-8 and the synthetic Fischer-Tropsch fuel.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GAE-ENY-07-J18

DTIC Accession Number

ADA470159

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