Three-dimensional modeling of reacting flows in horseshoe vortex combustors

The present circumferentially stirred combustor employs a well established vortex, in the shape of a horseshoe with fuel injected at the apex, to promote mixing in each sector of the annulus. This paper presents the results from three-dimensional viscous flow analyses of the reacting flow field in this type of combustor. Three designs are examined: an idealized design, used for investigating how to implement the concept, and two real designs. The analytical results agree well with test results for the real designs. Of greater engineering interest, however, the analytical results reveal how the real designs work differently from the idealized design, and they explain why the two real designs contrast sharply with one another in performance.