LEAN BLOWOUT IN A RESEARCH COMBUSTOR AT SIMULATED LOW-PRESSURES

A propane-fueled research combustor has been designed to represent the essential features of primary zones of combustors for aircraft gas tu rbine engines in an investigation of lean blowouts. The atmospheric pr essure test facility being used for the investigation made it difficul t to approach the maximum heat release condition of the research combu stor directly. High combustor loadings were achieved through simulatin g the effects on chemical reaction rates of subatmospheric pressures b y means of a nitrogen diluent technique. A calibration procedure is de scribed, and correlated experimental lean blowout results are compared with well-stirred reactor calculations for the research combustor to confirm the efficacy of the calibration.