UC Irvine

A model laboratory reactor is presented and characterized for the study of spray-fired combustion in a swirl-stabilized, complex, three-dimensional flow representative of a gas turbine combustor. The reactor features optical access for non-intrusive diagnostics, and clean boundary conditions for modeling. The aerodynamic and thermal fields are characterized using laser anemometry and a thermocouple probe respectively. The droplet size and droplet velocity fields are resolved using phase Doppler interferometry. The performance of the reactor is found to be representative of a practical combustor with a well defined dome region primary zone, a secondary zone between the two rows of wall jets in which reaction persists, and a relatively well-mixed and cool dilution zone. A parametric study of the dome geometry indicates that the structure of the dome region recirculation is relatively insensitive to a change from a step to a 45° divergent dome expansion. A parametric study of the dome swirl, primary jet, and dilution jet flows shows that the primary air provides closure to the dome recirculation and enhances the turbulent mixing. The reactor is attractive for studies of turbulent mixing, fuel effects, and spray dynamics in this class of flows. © 1997 Combustion Institute.