Main Burner Components The turbine engine main burner system consists of three principal elements: the inlet

diffuser, the dome and snout or cowl, and the liner. In addition, important subcomponents are necessary: the fuel injector, igniter, burner case, and primary swirler, if used. The term combustion zone is used to designate that portion of the main burner within the dome and liner.

Inlet Diffuser: The purpose of the inlet diffuser is to reduce the velocity of the air exiting the compressor and deliver the air to the combustion zone as a stable, uniform flow- field while recovering as much of the dynamic pressure as possible. The inlet diffuser represents a design and performance compromise relative to required compactness, low-pressure loss, and good flow uniformity. Snout: The snout divides the incoming air into two streams: primary air and the other airflows (intermediate, dilution, and cooling air). The snout streamlines the combustor dome and permits a larger diffuser divergence angle and reduced overall diffuser length. The combustor dome is designed to produce an area of high turbulence and flow shear in the vicinity of the fuel nozzle to finely atomize the fuel spray and promote rapid fuel/air mixing. There are two basic types of combustor domes: bluff body and swirl-stabilized. The bluff-body domes were used in early main burners, but swirl-stabilized domes are used in most modern main burners. Liner: The combustion process is contained by the liner. The liner also allows introduction of intermediate and dilution airflow and the liner's cooling airflow. The liner must be designed to support forces resulting from pressure drop and must have high thermal resistance capable of continuous and cyclic high-temperature operation. This requires use of high-strength, hightemperature, oxidation- resistant materials (e.g., Hastalloy X) and cooling air. Fuel injectors can be classified into four basic types according to the injection method utilized: pressure-atomizing, air blast, vaporizing, and premix/pre vaporizing.

Most modern main burner designs incorporate the air-blast atomizing fuel injector, which achieves fuel atomization and mixing through the use of primary air momentum with strong swirling motion. The air-blast atomizing fuel injector requires lower fuel pressures (50-200 psi above main burner pressure) than the pressure-atomizing type. Spark igniters, similar to automotive spark plugs, are used to ignite the cold, flowing fuel/air mixture in main burners. These spark igniters produce 4-12 J of ignition energy and require several thousand volts at the plug tip. Main burner starting redundancy is typically provided by use of at least two spark lighters.

Performance Parameters 1. Combustion efficiency 2. Overall total pressure loss 3. Exit temperature profile : Two performance parameters are related to the temperature uniformity of the combustion gases as they enter the turbine. To ensure that the proper temperature profile has been established at the main burner exit, combustion gas temperatures are often measured by means of high-temperature thermocouples or via gassampling techniques employed at the main burner exit plane. A detailed description of the thermal field entering the turbine both radially and circumferentially can be determined from these data. A simplified expression called the pattern factor or peak temperature factor may be calculated from these exit temperature data. 4. Ignition: Reliable ignition in the main burner system is required during ground-level startup and for relighting during altitude windmilling. Ignition performance is improved by increases in main burner pressure, temperature, fuel/air ratio, and ignition source energy. In general, ignition is impaired by increases in reference velocity, poor fuel atomization, and low fuel volatility