Research on Unsteady Flow Mixing Characteristics of Centripetal Wave Rotor Combustor

Abstract

The centripetal wave rotor combustor can better match the centrifugal compressor and the axial turbine of the reference machine, reduce the size of the engine and simplify the transition section structure. In this paper, by changing the parameters such as blade shape and blade deflection angle, we use numerical simulation to investigate the unsteady flow mixing characteristics of the centripetal wave rotor combustor and complete the optimization of its structure. It is shown that in all the designed channels, both the circumferential shear force and the pressure gradient force will make the mixing distribution uneven in the channel, and their effects cannot be eliminated. When the blade curve is tangent to the line connecting the endpoint of the inner diameter and the rotor center, the blade shape can make the fuel-air mixture distribution more uniform in the channel; the blade deflection angle has little effect on the fuel-air mixture distribution, the pressure distribution, and the pre-pressurization effect in the channel; changing the width-to-diameter ratio of the channel, or the size of the ports and the phase difference can improve the distribution of the fuel-air mixture in the channel, and both of them are also the key factors affecting the pre-pressurization effect.