A vaporizer combustion chamber,

Fig. 4-5 A vaporizer combustion chamber

FUEL SUPPLY
12. Fuel is supplied to the airstream by one of two distinct methods. The most common is the injection of a fine atomized spray into the recirculating airstream through spray nozzles (Part 10). Thesecond method is based on the pre-vaporization ofthe fuel before it enters the combustion zone.
13. In the vaporizing method (fig.4-5) the fuel is sprayed from feed tubes into vaporizing tubes which are positioned inside the flame tube. These tubes turn the fuel through 180 degrees and, as they are heated by combustion, the fuel vaporizes before passing into the flame tube. The primary airflow passes down the vaporizing tubes with the fuel and also through holes in the flame tube entry section which provide ’fans’ of air to sweep the flame rearwards. Cooling and dilution air is metered into the flame tube in a manner similar to the atomizer flame tube.
TYPES OF COMBUSTION CHAMBER 
14. There are three main types of combustion chamber in use for gas turbine engines. These are the multiple chamber, the tubo-annular chamber and the annular chamber.
Multiple combustion chamber 
15. This type of combustion chamber is used on centrifugal compressor engines and the earlier types of axial flow compressor engines. It is a direct development of the early type of Whittle combustion chamber. The major difference is that the Whittle chamber had a reverse flow as illustrated in fig. 4-6 but, as this created a considerable pressure loss, the straight-through multiple chamber was developed by Joseph Lucas Limited.

Fig. 4-6 An early Whittle combustion chamber

Fig. 4-7 Multiple combustion chambers.

Fig. 4-8 Tubo-annular combustion chamber.

16. The chambers are disposed around the engine (fig. 4-7) and compressor delivery air is directed by  ducts to pass into the individual chambers. Each chamber has an inner flame tube around which there is an air casing. The air passes through the flame tube snout and also between the tube and the outer casing as already described in para. 6.
17. The separate flame tubes are all interconnected. This allows each tube to operate at the same pressure and also allows combustion to propagate around the flame tubes during engine starting.
Tubo-annular combustion chamber
18. The tubo-annular combustion chamber bridges the evolutionary gap between the multiple and annular types. A number of flame tubes are fitted inside a common air casing (fig. 4-8). The airflow is similar to that already described. This arrangement combines the ease of overhaul and testing of the multiple system with the compactness of the annular system.
Annular combustion chamber
19. This type of combustion chamber consists of a single flame tube, completely annular in form, which is contained in an inner and outer casing (fig. 4-9). The airflow through the flame tube is similar to that already described, the chamber being open at thefront to the compressor and at the rear to the turbinenozzles.
20. The main advantage of the annular chamber is that, for the same power output, the length of the  chamber is only 75 per cent of that of a tubo-annular  system of the same diameter, resulting in considerable saving of weight and production cost. Another advantage is the elimination of combustion propagation problems from chamber to chamber.
21. In comparison with a tubo-annular combustion system, the wall area of a comparable annular chamber is much less; consequently the amount of cooling air required to prevent the burning of the flame tube wall is less, by approximately 15 per cent, This reduction in cooling air raises the combustion efficiency (para. 27) to virtually eliminate unburnt fuel, and oxidizes the carbon monoxide to non-toxic carbon dioxide, thus reducing air pollution. 22. The introduction of the air spray type fuel spray nozzle (Part 10) to this type of combustion chamber  also greatly improves the preparation of fuel for combustion by aerating the over-rich pockets of fuel vapours close to the spray nozzle; this results in a large reduction in initial carbon formation.