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Abstract
The influence of fuel composition on smoke emission/combustor wall temperatures has been studied in a laboratory-scale gas-turbine-type combustor over the range of operating conditions of modern turbine combustors and as a function of combustor design. Fuel hydrogen content is shown to give the best prediction of smoke emission and of variations in flame tube wall temperature caused by changes in flame radiation. The major finding is that the influence of fuel composition on smoke emission/flame radiation falls virtually to zero at combustor pressures above about 10 bar. Significant reduction in sensitivity to fuel composition can also be obtained by varying combustor design and are tentatively correlated with increasing combustion intensity. The implication of these effects for aircraft operation is discussed and an explanation for the results is put forward based on changes in the chemical mechanisms leading to soot formation.