A NEW TEST RIG FOR LASER OPTICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF LEAN JET ENGINE BURNERS

Abstract

The combustor enables the optical investigation of unscaled large burners for lean combustion in aeroengines. The maximum operating condition is 2.3 kg/s air mass flow through the combustor liner at 900K preheat and 20 bar inlet pressure, which exceeds to the author’s knowledge the capabilities of pre-existing optically accessible single sector combustor rigs. The combustor volume and cooling are as close as possible to the engine condition. Various optical techniques will help to understand the physics leading to the emission behaviour measured in conventional rigs. Real time logging of emissions, temperatures, pressures and videos of the flame enables the exact relation of laser based measurements to operating conditions of the combustor and operating modes of the burner. The rig is currently used in national and European research projects to understand the behaviour of the burners throughout their operating range helping to find the optimum design to satisfy the conflicting demands imposed on the key element of lean combustion in aeroengines.