GAS TURBINE COMBUSTOR FOR LOW PATTERN FACTOR AND LOW NOX EMISSION

AN INNOVATIVE ANNULAR COMBUSTOR CONFIGURATION IS PROPOSED FOR AIRCRAFT AND OTHER GAS TURBINE ENGINES WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL OF A) PERMITTING HIGHER TURBINE INLET TEMPERATURE BY REDUCING THE PATTERN FACTOR AND B) PROVIDING A MAJOR REDUCTION IN NOX EMISSION. THE DESIGN IS BASED ON A VARIABLE RESIDENCE TIME (VRT) CONCEPT WHICH ALLOWS LARGE FUEL PARTICLES ADEQUATE TIME TO COMPLETELY BURN IN THE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY MIXED PRIMARY ZONE. HIGH DURABILITY OF THE COMBUSTOR IS ACHIEVED BY DUAL FUNCTION USE OF THE INCOMING AIR. THE PRESENT PROPOSAL IS FOR AN EXPERIMENTAL AND ANALYTICAL PROGRAM TO PREDICT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PROPOSED COMBUSTOR AND COMPARE IT WITH THAT OF A STATE OF THE ART COMBUSTOR CURRENTLY BEING DESIGNED FOR A 10 LB/SEC AIR FLOW CLASS ENGINE. THE SUPPORTS OF A MAJOR GAS TURBINE ENGINE MANUFACTURER AND A WORLD RENOWNED AUTHORITY ON COMBUSTION HAVE ALREADY BEEN OBTAINED FOR THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS REQUIRED FOR THIS PROGRAM.