Design and Operation of a High-Pressure Combustion System for Study of Soot Formation

This paper describes the design and operation of a facility capable of providing experimental data on the mechanism of soot formation and oxidation under controlled sustainable conditions. The central piece of the facility “the combustor” is described in detail together with its variable geometry which facilitates independent control of pressure (up to 100 bar), air-fuel ratio, swirl, angled injection, fuel-wall impingement and the feasibility of intermittent injection and auto-ignition. A planned staged programme for carrying out an extensive research study is outlined, and the versatility of the installation and its usefulness for testing alternative fuels is demonstrated.