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GAS TURBINES COIUIBUSTTON CHAMBERS

4.I THE TASK OT'THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER.

The combustion chamber must conkin the buruing mixture of air (from the compressor) with fuel
(Aom the firel spray nozzles), to allow tbe rnaximum lrat release at a $ubstantially coastant
a unifomrly expanded, heated and accelerated stream ofgas.
pressure, so that the turbine receives
This is not an easy taslq but advancereents are constantly being made in combustion chamber
desigu to snable more effrcient use of fuel with less and less pollution of the atmosphere.

Efficient combustion has been made increasingly more important because of the rise in the cost
ofthe fuel itself, and the increasing awarsness ofthe genera[ pubtic ofthe dangers of atmospheric
pollution from the exhaust snroke.

4.2 TIIE TEMPERATURE INCREASE ALLOWED.

There is a limit to the marxirnum bmperature of the gas &om the combustion chamber" this is
imposedbythe sratsrials ftomwhich the noaloguide vanes and tht nrbine aremanufactured.
The slightest excursion above that limit will mean the possible disintegration of the turbine with
prob*bly catastrophie :esults.

43 TI{E TEMPERATURE INCRBASE REQT}IRED.

Msdern materials will allow a gas tsmp€rarure initially in the combustion chamber of 2000oC
plus. Wben it exits the combustion chmrber tbe temperature musi be reduced to 1000 tol500oC.

Considerhg that the air may already hava ken heated to around 60e C due to compression,
sufficient fuel mustbe addedtoraise thetempemhre further.

This of course would be the temperature at full power.lower power s,gtrings would require lower
fuel flows so the combustion chamber has to be capable of maintaining stable and efficieut
combustion overa wide range ofengine operating conditions.

4.4 TIIE F.LAME RATS OF KtrROSENE"

Air elters the combustion chamber at approximately the same rats at which it enters the intake
ofthe engine, speeds ofup to 500 feet per second are not unusual.

The flame rate ofkerossne, the speed at whicfi tl" t"udiog edge ofthe flame travels through the
vapour, is only ono to two foet per second, if burning kerosene wa$ exposed in an airstream
which was tray€lling at 500 feot p€r seeond it wordd be extinguished immediately.

Something mustbe done to slow downthe speedofthe airflow afteritleaves the compressor and
before it reaches the primary eone" the zone inside the combustion chasrber whete it is mixed
withthe fuel and burnt.

4-1 @ Oxford Aviation Services Limited