An innovative can combustor configuration has been developed for gas turbine engines that have the potential of burning fuels ranging from gasoline to coal/oil slurries at high efficiencies. The design is based on a Variable Residence Time (VRT) concept, which -allows large and agglomerated fuel particles adequate time to burn completely. High durability of the combustor is achieved by dual function use of the incoming air. For applications requiring the burning of coal/oil slurries, the design has the capability of removing the ash particles directly from the primary zone of the combustor. It is anticipated that because of the small size requirement of this combustor design, existing gas turbine engines could be retrofitted within the confines of the current engine envelope. The present proposal is for an experimental and analytical program to determine the performance of the combustor design. The support of a major gas turbine engine manufacturer and a world-renowned authority on combustion have already been obtained for the design and development efforts required for this program.AnticipatedResults Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee:The potential applications of the concept would enable industrial, marine, and vehicular gas turbine engines to operate on any available fuel ranging from gasoline to coal/oil slurries with high efficiency and high durability.
