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At least 271 records · Page 15

Toward full simulations for a liquid metal blanket: part 2. Computations of MHD flows with volumetric heating for a PbLi blanket prototype at Ha ~10 4 and Gr ~10 12

On the pathway toward full simulations for a liquid metal (LM) blanket, this part 2 extends a previous study of purely magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows in a DCLL blanket in reference Chen et al (2020 Nucl. Fusion 60 076003) to more general conditions when the MHD flow is coupled with heat transfer. The simulated prototypic blanket module includes all components of a real LM blanket system, such as supply ducts, inlet and outlet manifolds, multiple poloidal ducts and a U-turn zone. Volumetric heating generated by fusion neutrons is added to simulate thermal effects in the flowing lead–lithium (PbLi) breeder. The MHD flow equations and the energy equation are solved with a DNS-type finite-volume code ‘MHD-UCAS’ on a very fine mesh of 470 × 10 6 cells. The applied magnetic field is 5 T (Hartmann number Ha ~ 10 4 ), the PbLi velocity in the poloidal ducts is 10 cm s –1 (Reynolds number Re ~10 5 ), whereas the maximum volumetric heating is 30 MW m –3 (Grashof number Gr ~ 10 12 ). Four cases have been simulated, including forced- and mixed-convection flows, and either an electrically conducting or insulating blanket structure. Various comparisons are made between the four computed cases and also against the purely MHD flows computed earlier in reference Chen et al (2020 Nucl. Fusion 60 076003) with regards to the (1) MHD pressure drop, (2) flow balancing, (3) temperature field, (4) flows in particular blanket components, and (5) 3D and turbulent flow effects. The strongest buoyancy effects were found in the poloidal ducts. In the electrically non-conducting blanket, the buoyancy forces lead to significant modifications of the flow structure, such as formation of reverse flows, whereas their effect on the MHD pressure drop is relatively small. In the electrically conducting blanket case, the buoyancy effects on the flow and MHD pressure drop are almost negligible.

Physics↗

Radiator Design and Installation - II, Special Report

A mathematical analysis of radiator design has been made. The volume of the radiator using least total power has been expressed in a single formula which shows that the optimum radiator volume is independent of the shape of the radiator and which makes possible the construction of design tables that give the optimum radiator volume per 100-horsepower heat dissipation as a function of the speed, of the altitude, and of one parameter involving characteristics of the airplane. Although, for a given set of conditions, the radiator volume using the least total power is fixed, the frontal area, or the length of the radiator needs to be separately specified in order to satisfy certain other requirement such as the ability to cool with the pressure drop available while the airplane is climbing. In order to simplify the specification for the shape of the radiator and in order to reduce the labor involved in calculating the detailed performance of radiators, generalized design curves have been developed for determining the pressure drop, the mass flow of air, and the power expended in overcoming the cooling drag of a radiator from the physical dimensions of the radiator. In addition, a table is derived from these curves, which directly gives the square root of the pressure drop required for ground cooling as a function of the radiator dimensions, of the heat dissipation and of the available temperature difference. Typical calculations using the tables of optimum radiator volume and the design curves are given. The jet power that can be derived from the heated air is proportional to the heat dissipation and is approximately proportional to the square of the airplane speed and to the reciprocal of the absolute temperature of the atmosphere. A table of jet power, per 100 horsepower of heat dissipation at various airplane speeds and altitudes is presented.

Tifford, Arthur N.↗

Preliminary endurance tests of water vaporizers for resistojet applications

Three water vaporizers designed for resistojet applications were built and tested for periods up to 500 h and 250 thermal cycles. Two of the vaporizers were not sensitive to orientation with respect to gravity, an indication of likely compatibility with low-gravity environments. Some temperatures and pressures in the third were impacted by orientation, although operation was always stable. The pressure drop across the sand-filled version increased by 147 percent in 38 h and 19 thermal cycles. Bonding of the sand granules in the downstream end of the heat exchanger was the suspected cause of failure of this vaporizer. Pressure drops across the two sintered stainless steel-filled versions were more gradual. One, with a pore size of 60 microns, showed an 80 percent increase in 500 h and 250 thermal cycles and another, with a 10 microns poresize, showed a 29 percent increase in 350 h and 175 thermal cycles. Testing of the latter metal-filled vaporizer was ongoing as of this writing. Oxidation of the porous metal packing materials in these vaporizers, with subsequent deposition of oxide particles within the pores, was believed to have caused the observed increases in pressure drops.

Morren, W. Earl↗

Preliminary endurance tests of water vaporizers for resistojet applications

Three water vaporizers designed for resistojet applications were built and tested for periods up to 500 h and 250 thermal cycles. Two of the vaporizers were not sensitive to orientation with respect to gravity, an indication of likely compatibility with low-gravity environments. Some temperatures and pressures in the third were impacted by orientation, although operation was always stable. The pressure drop across the sand-filled version increased by 147 percent in 38 h and 19 thermal cycles. Bonding of the sand granules in the downstream end of the heat exchanger was the suspected cause of failure of this vaporizer. Pressure drops across the two sintered stainless steel-filled versions were more gradual. One, with a pore size of 60 microns, showed an 80 percent increase in 500 h and 250 thermal cycles and another, with a 10 microns poresize, showed a 29 percent increase in 350 h and 175 thermal cycles. Testing of the latter metal-filled vaporizer was ongoing as of this writing. Oxidation of the porous metal packing materials in these vaporizers, with subsequent deposition of oxide particles within the pores, was believed to have caused the observed increases in pressure drops.

Morren, W. E.↗

Formation and characterization of hydride rim structures in Zircaloy-4 nuclear fuel cladding tubes

Zirconium alloy tubes used as nuclear fuel cladding are subject to oxidation and subsequent hydrogen pickup during their long service in commercial light water reactors. The hydrogen picked up in the cladding can precipitate as a brittle hydride rim feature on the cladding outer surface. Here, to better understand the effect of hydride rims on the fracture behavior of stress-relieved zirconium alloy cladding tubes, a procedure to produce these rim-like structures has been developed and is described herein. Extensive characterization of the ‘as hydrided’ tubes is performed. The hydrogen charging apparatus consists of a tube furnace with a quartz chamber that is connected to a vacuum pump as well as a bottle of pure hydrogen gas. The charging station uses a static charge of hydrogen as opposed to a flowing gas. The chief advantage of this approach is the ability to monitor the pressure drop in the hydriding chamber and correlate this pressure drop to a known rate of hydrogen pickup in the cladding tube. It was found that the hydrogen partial pressure, metal temperature, and surface treatment all clearly played a role in whether a hydride rim was formed. Extensive characterization of the hydride rims shows they consist of needle like platelets of δ phase hydrides (ZrH1.66) oriented in the circumferential direction with a radial spacing of several microns in a sandwich-like structure.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Status of the LCLS-II Cryogenic Distribution System

The LINAC Coherent Light Source II (LCLS-II) located at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) in Menlo Park, CA, is a U.S. Department of Energy project tasked to design and build a world-class x-ray free-electron laser facility for scientific research. The Linac has superconducting radio frequency cryomodules that are connected to the cryogenic plant by the Cryogenic Distribution System (CDS), which consists of distribution boxes with heat exchangers and reliefs, feed caps, end caps, and surface, vertical, and bypass transfer lines. The CDS components were designed and built to specification by industry. The components have been delivered and their installation at SLAC will be discussed. The as-built relief system design will be presented, showing minimization of relief inlet pressure drops while meeting capacity requirements. The relieving flow pressure drops along the lengths of the CDS to centrally located reliefs at the distribution box were analysed to satisfy Pressure Vessel and Process Piping Code criteria to ensure relief performance. The sub-atmospheric 2 K circuit relieving approach will be discussed, which includes a three-way diverter isolation valve suitable for sub-atmospheric service. The component anchoring load design approach and installation into concrete floor will be discussed. This addresses loading, including seismic loading, along the component’s load path to floor anchoring system.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Effects of Gravity on Cocurrent Two-Phase Gas-Liquid Flows Through Packed Columns

This work presents the experimental results of research on the influence of gravity on flow pattern transitions, pressure drop and flow characteristics for cocurrent gas-liquid two-phase flow through packed columns. The flow pattern transition data indicates that the pulse flow regime exists over a wider range of gas and liquid flow rates under reduced gravity conditions compared to normal gravity cocurrent down-flow. This is illustrated by comparing the flow regime transitions found in reduced gravity with the transitions predicted by Talmor. Next, the effect of gravity on the total pressure drop in a packed column is shown to depend on the flow regime. The difference is roughly equivalent to the liquid static head for bubbly flow but begins to decrease at the onset of pulse flow. As the spray flow regime is approached by increasing the gas to liquid ratio, the effect of gravity on pressure drop becomes negligible. Finally, gravity tends to suppress the amplitude of each pressure pulse. An example of this phenomenon is presented.

Motil, Brian J.↗

Design study of an advanced gas generator

A gas generator which can be ignited reliably during the initial start-up period and offers fairly uniform gas temperature at the exit was studied numerically. Various sizes and shapes of the mixing enhancement devices and their positions were examined to evaluate the uniformity of the exit gas temperature and the change of internal pressure drop incurred by introducing the mixing enhancement devices. By introducing a turbulence ring and a splash plate with an appropriate size and position, it was possible to obtain fairly uniform gas temperature distributions and a maximum gas temperature that is within the design limit temperature of 1600 R at the generator exit. However, with the geometry studied, the pressure drop across the generator was great, approximately 1150 psi, to satisfy the assigned design limit temperature. If the design limit temperature is increased to 1650 R, the pressure drop across the generator could be lowered by as much as 350 psi.

Kim, S.↗

Characterization of Showerhead Performance At Low Pressure

The overall objective of this work is to characterize the flow to rough showerheads by deriving pressure drop versus velocity correlations to at can be then used in reactor scale simulations where the showerhead is approximated as a porous medium. At relatively low Reynolds numbers (less than 1-10 based on the hole length scale) and in the absence of slip flow, Darcy's Law, grad P = mu U/k, can be used to express the relation between the pressure drop and velocity where @mu@ is the fluid viscosity and it is the permeability that can be theoretically predicted as k= e R^2 /8, where e is the porosity. However, at sufficiently small hole diameters and decreased pressures (less than 5 Torr), the Knudsen number based on showerhead tube radius increases, and the flow may be in a transition regime. Different expressions have been proposed to account for this effect in the permeability by expressing k as a function of either pressure or Knudsen number. But at even higher Knudsen numbers, the pressure drop - velocity dependence is non-linear, and Darcy's Law no longer holds such that a permeability cannot be defined. The direct simulation Monte Carlo method is used along side conventional CFD techniques to determine the extent to which the CFD technique is appropriate and helps to derive correlations for the more rarefied cases of interest in these showerhead flows.

Hash, David B.↗

Bubble and Slug Flow at Microgravity Conditions: State of Knowledge and Open Questions

Based on the experiments carried out over the past decade at microgravity conditions, an overview of our current knowledge of bubbly and slug flows is presented. The transition from bubble to slug flow, the void fraction and the pressure drop are discussed from the data collected in the literature. The transition from bubble to slug flow may be predicted by introducing a critical void fraction that depends on the fluid properties and the pipe diameter; however, the role of coalescence which controls this transition is not clearly understood. The void fraction may be accurately calculated using a drift-flux model. It is shown from local measurements that the drift of the gas with respect to the mixture is due to non-uniform radial distribution of void fraction. The pressure drop happens to be controlled by the liquid flow for bubbly flow whereas for slug flow the experimental results show that pressure drops is larger than expected. From this study, the guidelines for future research in microgravity are given.

Colin, C.↗

Multi-scale and multi-physics analysis, design optimization, and experimental validation of heat exchangers utilizing high performance, non-round tubes

Air-to-refrigerant heat exchangers (HXs) are fundamental components in HVAC&R systems, and considerable research has been dedicated designing continually smaller, lighter, and more efficient HX designs. In recent years, researchers have leveraged advancements in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and optimization algorithms to consider primary tube shape and topology optimization to design highly compact, high performance HXs for a multitude of applications. In this research, we present a computationally efficient, comprehensive, multi-scale, and multi-physics analysis and optimization method for air-to-refrigerant HXs featuring automated CFD and FEA simulations and approximation-assisted optimization. This methodology was utilized to design HXs with shape-optimized, non-round tubes which outperform current state-of-the-art tube-fin HXs without compromising structural integrity. The optimal HXs were shown to deliver similar thermal performance to the baseline HXs while also achieving more than 20% reductions in airside pressure drop and core envelope volume and more than 30% reduction in internal volume. Comprehensive experimental validation of the optimization methodology was conducted through the testing of two prototypes in a standardized wind tunnel facility under multiple operating conditions. For prototype #1 under dry evaporator conditions, the predicted heat load agreed within ± 10% of measured values and the predicted airside pressure drop agreed within ± 30%, while for dehumidifying conditions, the predicted sensible and latent heat loads agreed within ± 10% and ± 20% of the measured values, respectively. For prototype #2, the predicted condenser heat load agreed within ± 3.0% of measured values, and the predicted airside pressure drop agreed within ± 27%. The acceptable agreement between simulation and experimental results for the present application highlights the flexibility of the novel optimization methodology to design next generation HXs with improved performance and reduced volume, weight, and environmental impact.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Submersible Multistage Centrifugal Pump for Versatile Test Reactor Cartridge Test Loop

Submersible multistage centrifugal pumps are ideal for pumping in narrow confined spaces and achieving necessary head pressures and flow rates. Once a diameter is determined then manipulation of the number of stages and motor speed are all that are required to meet desired flow conditions. The Versatile Test Reactor (VTR) closed loop cartridge systems will need forced convection cooling independent of the main reactor. A multistage centrifugal pump can meet the necessary flow rates and pumping pressures while minimizing space taken. The pump considered for this work was based off a deep well submersible pump, a variation of a multistage centrifugal pump. We experimented with two pump sizes, 5 cm (2 inch) and 7.5 cm (3 inch) diameters. These diameters were chosen to fit into the inner diameter of standard 5 and 7.5 (2 and 3 inch) Schedule 40 pipe, respectively. This made the design for the test loop both simpler and less expensive as the need for an engineered pump housing was eliminated. Initial test cartridge planning indicated space for only a 5 cm (2 inch) diameter pump, though early testing of this size showed the need for an abnormally high-speed and high-power motor. Fine tuning of the cartridge design allowed a pump size increase to 7.5 cm (3 inches), which was the pump size most extensively tested in this work. The test loop is composed of various sizes of PVC and aluminum piping components in a loop configuration. The pump is driven by a Pittman 250 W (1/3 horsepower) electric motor with maximum speed of 3,450 RPM. Testing consisted of running the pump at a constant motor speed while varying a control valve to restrict flow through the loop, with differential pressure and flow rate recorded. This was done for one and two stage configurations for the 5 cm (2 inch) diameter impeller design and one, two, and three stage configurations for the 7.5 cm (3 inch diameter) impeller design, respectively. Due to pumping power requirements, two and three stage 7.5 cm (3 inch) diameter impeller testing at higher flowrates lowered the motor speed substantially. In regions where motor speed could not be maintained constant, the data were discarded. The test loop was also reconfigured to allow for the pump to be tested for pressure drop in a stalled or inoperable (0 RPM) flow condition. Demonstration of adequate natural convection cooling of the test cartridge fuel type is necessary under accident conditions, and this will depend upon the flow resistance through the impeller assembly when the pump is not operating. Thus, accurate knowledge of the effective impeller assembly loss coefficient is important for safety evaluations. The test loop was modified to provide water inlet and outlets on either side of the pump impeller stack, and a metered flow of lab water was provided in order to measure the pressure drop across the cartridges as a function of flowrate. Data from the pump head curve testing developed as part of this work and supported by analysis using pump head affinity laws indicates that a three stage 7.5 cm (3 inch) pump impeller design will meet target requirements for coolant flow within the VTR cartridge sodium cartridge at full power conditions [1] with margin; this corresponds to a flowrate of 45 l/min (12 gpm) at a pressure drop of 6.1 m (20 feet) of water head. The results of the pressure loss measurements across the impeller assembly when the pump is stationary (i.e., at 0 RPM) indicate that the pressure loss coefficient is 0.921 for a two impeller stack configuration; this value is calculated based on the flow velocity through the minimum available flow area within a single stage of the impeller which corresponds to 1.4 cm2.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

A study of two-phase flow in a reduced gravity environment

A test loop was designed and fabricated for observing and measuring pressure drops of two-phase flow in reduced gravity. The portable flow test loop was then tested aboard the NASA-JSC KC135 reduced gravity aircraft. The test loop employed the Sundstrand Two-Phase Thermal Management System (TPTMS) concept which was specially fitted with a clear two-phase return line and condenser cover for flow observation. A two-phase (liquid/vapor) mixture was produced by pumping nearly saturated liquid through an evaporator and adding heat via electric heaters. The quality of the two-phase flow was varied by changing the evaporator heat load. The test loop was operated on the ground before and after the KC135 flight tests to create a one-gravity data base. The ground testing included all the test points run during the reduced gravity testing. Two days of reduced gravity tests aboard the KC135 were performed. During the flight tests, reduced-gravity, one-gravity, and nearly two-gravity accelerations were experienced. Data was taken during the entire flight which provided flow regime and pressure drop data for the three operating conditions. The test results show that two-phase pressure drops and flow regimes can be accurately predicted in zero-gravity.

Hill, D.↗

Experiment and simulation of high-speed gas jet penetration into a semicircular fluidized bed

This work marks the third in a series of experiments that were in a semi-circular, gas-fluidized bed with side jets. In this work, the particles are (nominally) 1 mm ceramic beads. The bed is operated just at and slightly above and below the minimum fluidization velocity and additional fluidization is provided by two high-speed gas located on the sides of the bed near the flat, front face of the unit. Two primary measurements are taken: high-speed video recording of the front of the bed and bed pressure drop from a tap in the back of the bed. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is used to determine particle motion, characterized as a mean Froude number, from the high-speed video. A CFD-DEM model of the bed is presented using the recently released MFIX-Exa code. Four model subvariants are considered using two methods of representing the jets and two drag models, both of which are calibrated to exactly match the experimentally measured minimum fluidization velocity. Although it is more difficult to determine the jet penetration depths in a straightforward manner as in the previous works using Froude number contours, the CFD-DEM results compare quite well to the PIV measurements, particularly for submodel flow Syam. Unfortunately, the good agreement of the solids-phase is overshadowed by significant disagreement in the gas-phase data. Specifically, the predicted time averaged standard deviation of the pressure drop is found to be over an order of magnitude larger than measured. Due to the low value of the measurements, just 1% of the mean bed pressure drop, it seems possible that the data is in error. On the other hand, the model may not be accurately capturing pressure attenuation through an under-fluidized region in the back of the bed. Without the possibility additional experiments to test the validity of the data, this work is simply being reported “as is” without being able to indicate which, either the simulation or the experiment, is more correct.<br>

Fullmer, William D.↗

An Experimental Study of Pressure Oscillation in a Capillary Pumped Loop with Multiple Evaporators and Condensers

The heat transport capability of a capillary pumped loop (CPL) is limited by the pressure drop that its evaporator wick can sustain. The pressure drop in a CPL is not constant even under seemingly steady operation, but rather exhibits an oscillatory behavior. A hydrodynamic theory based on a mass-spring-dashpot model was previously developed to predict the pressure oscillation in a CPL with a single evaporator and a single condenser. The theory states that the pressure oscillation is a function of physical dimensions of the CPL components and operating conditions. Experimental data agreed very well with theoretical predictions. The hydrodynamic stability theory has recently been extended to predict the pressure oscillations in CPLs with multiple evaporators and multiple condensers. Concurrently, an experimental study was conducted to verify the theory and to investigate the effects of various parameters on the pressure oscillation. Four evaporators with different wick properties were tested using a test loop containing two condenser plates. The test loop allowed the four evaporators to be tested in a single-pump, two-pump or four-pump configuration, and the two condenser plates to be plumbed either in parallel or in series. Test conditions included varying the power input, the reservoir set point temperature, the condenser sink temperature, and the flow resistance between the reservoir and the loop. Experimental results agreed well with theoretical predictions.

Ku, Jen-Tung↗

Performance evaluation of finned tube heat exchanger using curved wavy delta winglet vortex generators with circular perforations

Vortex generation is recognized as an effective passive approach to improve the heat transfer rate in fin and tube heat exchangers (FTHEs). The current study proposed innovative designs of curved wavy delta winglet vortex generators (CWDWVGs), both without and with circular perforations, to improve the heat transfer efficiency of FTHEs. There is potential to increase heat transfer performance further through various CWDWVG designs. Here, this study explores seven unique CWDWVG configurations, from 1-wave to 7-wave. A 3-D computational numerical model is utilized to evaluate the Thermo-hydraulic performance of FTHEs fitted with these different CWDWVG configurations across Reynolds numbers from 400 to 2000. This comparative analysis of the Thermo-hydraulic performance of FTHEs featuring four parallel circular tube layouts assesses configurations both with and without vortex generators (VGs) and various hole configurations. The evaluation of Thermo-hydraulic performance involves different parameters, including the London area goodness factor (LAGF), Colburn factor (j), friction factor (f), pressure drop (?P), and Nusselt number (Nu). Results demonstrate that the various CWDWVG configurations and the number of holes in them substantially affect the efficiency, as evaluated by the dimensionless Performance Evaluation Criteria (PEC). Notably, the 7-wave CWDWVGs surpassed other configurations, and integrating circular punched perforations further improved the thermal-hydraulic performance of FTHE. Specifically, the 7-wave CWDWVGs without holes demonstrated superior performance over other configurations, showing a significant increase in Nusselt number by 75.18% and 85.16% at Reynolds numbers of 2000 and 400, respectively, alongside an increase in pressure drop by 216.38% to 224.96%. Meanwhile, the 7-wave CWDWVGs with eight holes, in comparison to those without holes, exhibited a Nusselt number increase of 0.85%, a pressure drop decrease of 7.31%, and a reduction in the friction factor by 5.82%.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

A novel lung-inspired 3D-printed desiccant-coated heat exchanger for high-performance humidity management in buildings

Offering an independent humidity management method for buildings, desiccant-coated heat exchangers (DCHXs) are deemed a promising approach to improve the overall energy efficiency of air conditioning (AC) systems. State-of-the-art DCHXs, however, are bound with conventional HX topologies either providing limited desiccant-air interfacial areas or introducing excessive pressure drop penalties. In this paper a novel 3D-printed DCHX concept inspired by the bronchi arrangement of a human lung is introduced to address the shortcomings inherent in existing DCHX designs. The proposed lung-inspired DCHX utilizes two intertwined bicontinuous flow networks enabling highly efficient heat and mass transfer characteristics for augmented adsorption and regeneration processes at low pressure drop penalties. While the first network evenly distributes an incoming air stream through the entire volume of the lung-inspired DCHX, the second network volumetrically splits a cooling water stream within and through the first network. Effects of various parameters including air flow rate, outdoor air humidity ratio, and regeneration temperature on dehumidification performance and energy efficiency of the proposed lung-inspired DCHX were investigated. Experimental results indicated the proposed lung-inspired 3D-printed DCHX outperforms existing DCHX systems by demonstrating an excellent balance between a high volumetric adsorption rate and a low pressure drop penalty. The volumetric adsorption rate of the proposed lung-inspired DCHX technology is 54.8 g/m 3 -s, a more than two-fold improvement compared with state-of-the-art DCHX systems. Additionally, the lung-inspired DCHX offers high thermal energy efficiency of 56% at a low regeneration temperature of 40 °C. Therefore, the proposed lung-inspired 3D-printed DCHX offers a new solid-desiccant-based air dehumidification pathway for next-generation high-performance AC systems.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Simulated Altitude Performance of Combustors for the 24C Turbojet Engine. III - Performance of Rectangular-Slot Baskets: Performance of Rectangular-Slot Baskets - 3

The performance of an annular combustion chamber from a 24C turbojet engine was investigated over a range of simulated altitudes from 20,000 to 55,000 feet and corrected engine rotor speeds from 6000 to 13,000 rpm at a simulated ram-pressure ratio of 1.04. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the effects on the altitude operational limits, combustor-outlet gas temperature distribution, combustion efficiencies, and combustor inlet-to-outlet total-pressure drops of two changes in the 24C-4B basket air-passage arrangements that were designed to improve combustor-outlet temperature distribution. These changes were: (a) replacement of the downstream secondary air holes with large rectangular slots further upstream (rectangular-slot basket), and (b) enlargement of anticoking holes in the rectangular-slot basket (modified rectangular-slot basket). The results indicate that improved outlet-gas temperature distribution of each succeeding combustor basket investigated was attained at a sacrifice in the altitude limit of operation. The altitude limits of operation of the combustor with the original basket ranged from 34,000 feet at a corrected engine speed of 6000 rpm to a maximum of 52,000 feet at 12 ' 500 rpm. The altitude limits of the rectangular-slot basket were about 2000 feet lower throughout the engine speed range than those of the original basket. The altitude limits of the combustor with the modified rectangular-slot basket were about equivalent to those of the other baskets in the corrected-engine-speed range from 12,000 to 12,500 rpm but were about 10,000 feet lower than those of the original basket in the corrected-engine-speed range from 6000 to 9000 rpm. For the same inlet-air conditions, the combustion efficiencies were highest for the original basket and progressively lower for each of the other two baskets. The combustor inlet-to-outlet pressure drops of all three combustor baskets at the same operating conditions were within +/- 10 percent of the pressure drop of the original basket.

Tischler, Adelbert O.↗