Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Mitch Wolff, Ph.D. (Advisor); James Menart, Ph.D. (Committee Member); Brent Rankin, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
Abstract
Improving the ignition reliability in small-scale gas turbine engines is critical for safety aspects of auxiliary power units (APUs). To better understand the ignition characteristics of these small-scale combustors, an optically accessible combustor is designed and tested. The combustor accommodates twelve prevaporizer tubes (PVTs) in accordance with the commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) rendition and allows for interchangeable materials (quartz and Inconel) and igniter positions. Another notable design feature introduces a quartz outer combustor liner to allow visualization into key regions of the combustor. The study aims to replicate a COTS ignition sequence using glow plug igniters and examine the effects of different flow conditions and igniter configurations on ignition behavior. Four phases of testing are conducted, including fuel dispersion visualization, glow plug igniter testing, and ignition performance evaluation using both one and two igniter setups. Results show that successful ignition is heavily dependent on tube material, with Inconel PVTs achieving successful ignition due to superior thermal conductivity compared to quartz. Single and double igniter configurations are tested across a range of air and fuel mass flow rates. The use of two igniters increases the operable ignition envelope. The location of the igniters azimuthally around the dome is found to have a negligible effect on ignition success or propagation time.
Page Count
106
Department or Program
Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Year Degree Awarded
2025
Copyright
Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
ORCID ID
0009-0002-7455-8771
