Low Emissions, Affordable Fuel Injector for High Performance Military Gas Turbines

In this Phase II SBIR effort, CFD Research Corporation (CFDRC) will continue development of an advanced low emissions fuel injector for military engines that is based on CFDRC's lean direct fuel injector technology. The design produces a unique flamepattern caused by a bifurcated flow pattern, in which the pilot airflow separates from the main airflow and a recirculation zone is created between the pilot and main airflows. This design has the potential of greatly reducing NOx, CO, and smoke at fullpower compared to current JSF designs. In addition, the proposed design is affordable, and provides good thermal protection of the fuel. In Phase I, CFDRC showed the feasibility of the proposed fuel injector. In Phase II, the fuel injector will be further developed for JSF. CFD analyses will be used to predict emissions at various power points provided by our selected subcontractor,Rolls-Royce, Indianapolis. Prototype hardware will be fabricated and tested at ambient conditions, to select the most promising configurations. The best configurations will be tested in a existing single injector, high pressure rig at Rolls-Royce. Tworounds (design-cycles) are planned. If successfully demonstrated in Phase II, the design will be productionized, including thermal design in Phase III. The injector will be tested in a 5-sector rig, followed by testing in a full annular combustor rig. Ifsuccessful, the fuel injector will be used to reduce NOx, CO, UHC, and smoke emissions of JSF to levels on par with legacy aircraft, while maintaining performance, durability, and operability. It is anticipated that Rolls-Royce will utilize the CFDRC fuelinjector in their JSF engine, and CFDRC will receive royalties for every production injector fabricated. Pratt & Whitney's use of the design has also been pursued. The CFDRC fuel injector design will require modest changes to the current JSF combustor(i.e., new dome and removal of liner orifices). Other engine applications, and corresponding royalties, are also possible.