The effects of controlling vortex formation on the performance of a dump combustor
The use of flow control methods to improve the performance of air breathing combustors, specifically with respect to controlling both volumetric energy release and combustion instability, is investigated. The flow control techniques were chosen for their ability to control vortex formation near the inlet of the combustor. Periodic spanwise forcing of the inlet boundary layer was used to control the spanwise vortex shedding process in the combustor. Delta wing vortex generators and vortex generator jets were used to introduce streamwise vorticity into the flow. These control strategies were applied separately and together to a laboratory-scale dump combustor, and the effects on combustor performance were determined. The effect of spanwise forcing on both nonreacting and reacting flowfields was to modulate the formation of spanwise coherent vortex structures just downstream of the flow separation. In the nonreacting flowfield, the shear layer spreading rate was increased when forcing was applied. In the reacting flow, forcing caused a modulation of the flame structure.
- Research Organization:
- Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 5515779
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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