Heat Transfer and Flow Investigation of a Multi-spoke Flameholder for an Annular Combustor

DOI: 10.1615/ICHMT.2006.TurbulHeatMassTransf.1590
pages 731-734

J. Goodman
Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, England

P. T. Ireland
Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, England

Abstract

The flow field established by a multi-spoke, annular flameholder has been investigated, with the aim of optimising the fuel/air mixing, whilst minimising the heat transfer within the Sustained Hypersonic Flight Experiment (SHyFE) ramjet combustor. The influence of spoke size and blockage ratio on mixing capability has been assessed in a low temperature and low pressure model of the combustor. Pressure loss and three-dimensional air velocity and turbulence intensity profiles have been measured to compare the mixing ability of three flameholder designs. Liquid crystal thermography has been used to measure detailed distributions of the heat transfer coefficients downstream of the flameholder designs. Increasing the blockage ratio increases mixing and heat transfer to the combustor walls. The mechanisms of heat transfer enhancement are discussed and the experimental results compared to CFD predictions of the complex separated flow.