A Multiple-Inlet Core for Gas Turbine, Pulse, Pressure-Gain Combustors

Prior tests showed that a maximum increase of stagnation pressure equal to 4% of the compressor absolute delivery pressure was obtained on a very small gas turbine equipped with a prototype, valveless, pulse, pressure-gain, combustor. Accordingly, a new core pulse-combustor has been developed for a proposed pulse, pressure-gain, combustor for larger, more representative, gas turbines. The new core pulse-combustor differs from the earlier prototype design in that the single inlet passage has been replaced with four parallel inlet passages. It is shown that this concept reduces the time required for pre-combustion mixing of the air, fuel and products in the combustion zone. This results in the overall length of the combustor being reduced to about 60% of that required for a single inlet design. It was concluded, on the basis of tests, that a pulse, pressure-gain, combustor incorporating the new core unit should be capable of generating a maximum stagnation pressure-rise of about 10% of the compressor delivery pressure with a volumetric loading 3 to 4 times that of the original prototype.Copyright © 1991 by ASME