Experimental and numerical investigation of a planar combustor sector at realistic operating conditions

Results of an ongoing collaboration between the engine manufacturer MTU and the German aerospace research center DLR on the NOx reduction potential of conventional combustors are reported. A program comprising optical sector combustor measurements at 1, 6 and 15 bars and CFD calculations is carried out, The aims are to gather information in the combustor at realistic opera ting conditions, to understand the differences between the sector flow fiel d and data from tubular combustors, to verify the used CFD, and to discover the benefits and limitations of the applied optical diagnostics. Selected results Of measurements and calculations of the isothermal flow and of meas urements at 6 bars and 700 K at a rich-lean and overall lean AFR are report ed. The used measurement techniques were LDA. PDA, Mie scattering on kerose ne, quantitative light scattering, OH* chemiluminescence, and LIF on OH. Th e measurements were able to confirm the intended quick and homogeneous mixi ng of the three staggered rows of secondary air jets.