Experiments on Spray Combustion in a Gas Turbine Model Combustor

Abstract

A hollow-cone kerosene spray with a nominal cone angle of 30 degrees from a pressure-swirl fuel atomizer was used in a swirl-stabilized combustor. Swirling air flow with a calculated swirl number of 0.36 is generated with a swirl plate having an exit air velocity vector of 30 degrees with respect to the chamber axis. Effects of swirl and dilution air flow rates on the shape and stability of the flame are investigated. A Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer (PDPA) is used to measure drop size, mean and rms values of axial drop velocity, fuel volume flux, drop velocity and size distributions, and size-classified drop velocity profiles for two cases of with and without combustion and at six different axial locations from the nozzle. A thermocouple is used to measure the uncorrected average temperature at these axial positions. For the no-combustion case all air and fuel flow rates were kept at the same values as the combusting spray condition. A Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV) is employed to measure the axial gas velocities and investigate the flew field in the combustor without fuel injection.