Effects of Guide-Vane Number in a Three-Dimensional 60-Deg Curved Side-Dump Combustor Inlet

Three-dimensional flowfields in a 60-deg curved combustor inlet duct of rectangular cross-section with and without guide vanes were measured using Laser-Doppler velocimetry for the longitudinal, radial, and spanwise velocity components. The Reynolds number based on the bulk mean velocity and hydraulic diameter was 2.53×104. The main parameters examined were the guide-vane number and Reynolds number. The results show that to completely eliminate flow separation in the curved combustor inlet three guide vanes should be installed. The critical Reynolds number for the absence of the flow separation is found to decrease with increasing product of radius and aspect ratios. In addition, it is found that in most regions the maximum radial mean velocity, difference between radial and spanwise normal stress, and the turbulent kinetic energy decrease with increasing guide-vane number. A rationale for the absence of flow separation in the one-vane case predicted by previous researchers is also provided.