INTRODUCTION - An early combustion chamber.

INTRODUCTION

Fig. 4-1 An early combustion chamber.

1. The combustion chamber (fig. 4-1) has the difficult task of burning large quantities of fuel, supplied through the fuel spray nozzles (Part 10), with extensive volumes of air, supplied by the compressor (Part 3), and releasing the heat in such a manner that the air is expanded and accelerated to give a smooth stream of uniformly heated gas at all conditions required by the turbine (Part 5). This task must be accomplished with the minimum loss in pressure and with the maximum heat release for the limited space available.

2. The amount of fuel added to the air will depend upon the temperature rise required. However, the maximum temperature is limited to within the range of 850 to 1700 deg. C. by the materials from which the turbine blades and nozzles are made. The air has already been heated to between 200 and 550 deg. C. by the work done during compression, giving a temperature rise requirement of 650 to 1150 deg. C. from the combustion process. Since the gas temperature required at the turbine varies with engine thrust, and in the case of the turbo-propeller engine upon the power required, the combustion chamber must also be capable of maintaining stable and efficient combustion over a wide range of engine operating conditions.
3. Efficient combustion has become increasingly important because of the rapid rise in commercial aircraft traffic and the consequent increase in atmospheric pollution, which is seen by the general public as exhaust smoke.