Experimental investigations on fuel spatial distribution characteristics of aeroengine afterburner with all typical components

The fuel space distribution is a key factor in the combustion performance of afterburner. We have investigated the fuel space distribution and flow field in afterburner with all typical components. In this study, the complete afterburner test section of the afterburner is composed of a typical mixing diffuser, fuel supply system, flame stabilizer and heat shield. At the same time, we built an experimental system that enables a wide operating range of the afterburner. A temperature measuring rake, a pressure measuring rake, a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system and a laser particle sizer were used to measure the flow field and fuel distribution in the combustor. It was found that the fuel particle size in the combustor space along the flow direction decreases, then increases and then gradually decreases. This is because the fuel particle size is smallest at the vortex nucleus in the recircu-lation zone after the stabilizer. The increase of the incoming Mach number will lead to an increase in the range of the recirculation zone behind the stabilizer, thus making the fuel distribution in the entire combustor more uniform. When the diffusion ratio is increased from 1.0 to 1.4, a significant asymmetric counter-rotating vortex pair can be formed after the stabilizer. Compared with the blockage ratio of 0.2 and 0.4, when the blockage ratio is 0.3, the fuel particle size will be reduced by 24%-32%. The spatial distribution of the fuel is not sensitive to pressure changes, and under the experimental conditions, the fuel particle size will increase by 9-25 mu m with the decrease of pressure. In summary, when the diffusion ratio is 1.4 and the blockage ratio is 0.3, the afterburner has the most reasonable fuel distribution and flow field, which is conducive to the stable and efficient operation of the afterburner..

Automated summary

In this study, we investigated the fuel space distribution and flow field in the afterburner. We found that the fuel particle size decreases, then increases and then gradually decreases along the flow direction. The afterburner has the most reasonable fuel distribution and flow field when the diffusion ratio is 1.4 and the blockage ratio is 0.3.