Swirl Annular Combustor for Aircraft Gas Turbine Engines

This proposal describes an innovative Ultra-Low NOx annular swirl combustor concept for aircraft gas turbine engines. The concept is based on previously demonstrated means for creating high mixing rate regions in free shear flows by manipulating existing vorticity to create multiple discrete vortices in the flow. This mixing technique coupled with a Lean-Burn Direct-Ignition (LBDI) combustion strategy will be used in a high-performance low-loss combustor design. This design addresses the aeropropulsion system component need for innovative combustors with greater efficiency, lower emissions, and reduced aerodynamic drag. The objectives of the proposed Phase I project are to explore the combustor design parameter space numerically and to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept experimentally. The results of the effort will provide parametric data on the combustor geometry that will be used in scaling the device to large annular systems for gas turbine applications as well as a proof of principle demonstration. The NASA applications and benefits include advanced ultra-low emission combustors to address the needs for improvement in technology for conventional subsonic aircraft and the high speed research program.