Advanced Combustor Designs Utilizing Inlet Swirl for High Acceleration of Gravity (G) Combustion

Spytek Aerospace will soon become a low cost supplier of small high performance gas turbines for expendable UAV military operations, university research centers and hobbyists. During Phase I Spytek Aerospace analytically examined and experimentally assessed two `swirl-maintained' diffuserless high g combustor designs in our ATG-2 combustion rig and engine. Both Phase I concepts feature ultra-low volume while leveraging very high external and internal swirl to demonstrate: 1) very stable operation at high combustor loadings; 2) system pressure loss competitive with miniature conventional combustors and 3) immediate scalability to larger engines. High g combustor development during Phase II will include: 1) Additional high fidelity numerical simulation; 2) Combustor design and fabrication using Si3N4 ceramic material to achieve maximum performance, reduce weight and minimize cost relative to competitive technologies; 3) Comprehensive combustion rig and engine system performance testing; and 4) Mission performance evaluation of a ceramic combustor equipped ATG-2 an integrated UAV environment. Phase II will culminate with delivery of a high g combustion system with ceramic entrainment and supporting test rig suitable for Air Force test and evaluation. Independent AFRL assessment will instigate consideration of high-g ceramic combustion technology at each major VAATE contractors (P&W, GE, Rolls Royce, Honeywell, Williams) while simultaneously compelling Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, etc. to consider Spytek engine technology within their low cost expendable UAV concepts. Completion of this Phase II will constitute demonstrated high g ceramic combustor operation at a TRL approaching 6-7.