This paper presents the application of several optical measurement techniques for the characterization of the combustion behavior of the pilot burner of a gas turbine combustor developed according to the lean premixed prevaporized concept. The vaporization of the kerosene fuel (Jet-A) injected by a pilot spray and its consequent mixing with air has been visualized using combined laser-induced fluorescence and Mie scattering measurements. The laser-induced fluorescence/Mie measurements can be used to estimate the length and time scales for evaporation and mixing with air of kerosene (Jet-A) for the lean, premixed, and prevaporized pilot burner. In addition, the feasibility of using laser-induced incandescence for soot characterization has been investigated. Finally, spontaneous flame emission (i.e., chemiluminescence and thermal radiation) have been measured providing information on the overall characteristics of the combustion.

This work was supported by the European Union through the project entitled Low Pollutant Combustor Technology Program (LOPOCOTEP Contract G4RD-CT-2001-00447) and via the European Union (EU) Large Scale Facility in Combustion at Lund.

Peer reviewed