Characterization of the Non-Reacting Two-Phase Flow Downstream of an Aero-Engine Combustor Dome Operating at Realistic Conditions

The structure of the two-phase flow produced by a SNECMA/GEAE CFM-56 swirl cup is characterized using flow visualization and phase Doppler interferometry. Three operating conditions are examined, corresponding to 3.5, 7, and 15% power levels for the engine. Detailed measurements are obtained for the 3.5 and 7% power conditions. The results obtained are contrasted to previous results obtained in an idealized environment with the goal of assessing the relevance of such data to practical conditions. The results reveal that the increase in power has little impact upon the general structure of the flow and that even the atmospheric results provide the basic structure associated with the actual conditions. This is attributed to the similarity in pressure drop for each of the cases considered. Increasing power does lead to a systematic reduction in drop size despite exceeding crossover points for the duplex atomizer used. This difference is attributed primarily to inlet temperature changes.Copyright © 1994 by ASME