Advanced Augmentor Ignition Modeling Tools

Reliable ignition is critical to the operational performance of augmented military engines. Augmentors must reliably ignite when thrust is needed or system (and pilot) safety could be compromised. Augmentor ignition is particularly challenging relative to other combustion systems because the ignition system must function over an extremely wide range of conditions. Optimizing existing igniter systems and developing advanced igniter technologies offer the potential for increased reliability and durability in existing and future aircraft engines, but implementing these technologies in an engine is difficult because there is a lack of analytical tools that can aid the design and optimization processes. In the proposed effort, Creare and our university and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners will develop analytical tools that will ultimately provide validated generic mechanistic tools that will allow for the efficient optimization of a broad range of future augmentor ignition systems. In Phase I, we will demonstrate the basic features of our modeling strategy and compare the results with ignition data provided by our university collaborators. In Phase II, we will enhance our modeling tools and validate them against an expanded set of data from our university and OEM collaborators.