Article contents
Preliminary aerodynamic design methodology for aero engine lean direct injection combustors
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 June 2017
Abstract
The Lean Direct Injection (LDI) combustor is one of the low-emissions combustors with great potential in aero-engine applications, especially those with high overall pressure ratio. A preliminary design tool providing basic combustor sizing information and qualitative assessment of performance and emission characteristics of the LDI combustor within a short period of time will be of great value to designers. In this research, the methodology of preliminary aerodynamic design for a second-generation LDI (LDI-2) combustor was explored. A computer code was developed based on this method covering the design of air distribution, combustor sizing, diffuser, dilution holes and swirlers. The NASA correlations for NOx emissions are also embedded in the program in order to estimate the NOx production of the designed LDI combustor. A case study was carried out through the design of an LDI-2 combustor named as CULDI2015 and the comparison with an existing rich-burn, quick-quench, lean-burn combustor operating at identical conditions. It is discovered that the LDI combustor could potentially achieve a reduction in liner length and NOx emissions by 18% and 67%, respectively. A sensitivity study on parameters such as equivalence ratio, dome and passage velocity and fuel staging is performed to investigate the effect of design uncertainties on both preliminary design results and NOx production. A summary on the variation of design parameters and their impact is presented. The developed tool is proved to be valuable to preliminarily evaluate the LDI combustor performance and NOx emission at the early design stage.
Keywords
- Type
- Research Article
- Information
- The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 121 , Special Issue 1242: The International Society of Air-breathing Engines (ISABE) 2017 Conference Special Issue , August 2017 , pp. 1087 - 1108
- Copyright
- Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2017
Footnotes
This paper will be presented at the ISABE 2017 Conference, 3-8 September 2017, Manchester, UK.
References
REFERENCES
- 5
- Cited by