Effects of Radial and Circumferential Inlet Velocity Profile Distortions on Performance of a Short-length Double-annular Ram-induction Combustor

Book excerpt: Inlet air velocity profile tests were conducted on a full-scale short-length 102-centimeter-diameter annual combustor designed for advanced gas turbine engine applications. The inlet profiles studied include radial distortions that were center peaked, and tip peaked, as well as a circumferential distortion which was center peaked for one-third of the circumference and flat for the other two-thirds. An increase in combustor pressure loss was the most significant effect of the radial air velocity distortions. With the circumferential distortion, exit temperature pattern factor doubled when compared to a flat velocity profile.