Altitude Starting Characteristics of an Afterburner with Autoignition and Hot-streak Ignition

Abstract

An investigation was conducted in an altitude test chamber at the NACA Lewis Laboratory to determine the altitude starting characteristics of an afterburner with autoignition and with hot-streak ignition. Transient afterburner ignition data were obtained over a range of altitudes from 30,000 to 50,000 feet at a flight Mach number of 0.60. Afterburner ignition with a torch igniter located axially at approximately the midpoint of the combustion chamber was possible over the entire range, but ignition ignition with a torch igniter located in the transition section 1 5/8 inches upstream of the turbine stators proved unsatisfactory at an altitude of 50,000 feet due to the inability to obtain flame through the turbine. Increasing the afterburner-inlet total pressure at a constant afterburner fuel-air ratio decreased the afterburner ignition time. Hot-streak ignition was possible within 2 seconds after the time required to obtain the preset, normal afterburner fuel pressure, whereas autoignition required 4 to 7 seconds for the range of altitudes investigated. Following the ignition there was a period of oscillatory operation existing in the engine-afterburner before steady-state operation was attained. The time required for steady-state stable operation decreased as afterburner inlet total pressure increased. The duration of oscillations also decreased with hot-streak ignition because the fuel-air mixture was ignited before a large volume of combustible mixture was accumulated in the afterburner