Combustion instabilites in Rockets

Gas turbines have made substantial gains in performance since their initial demonstration in jet powered aircraft and power turbines. The performance, noise characteristics, and pollutant emissions of gas turbines for propulsive applications continue to improve. On the ground, contemporary gas turbines produce higher operating efficiencies and emit fewer pollutants than other major chemical-energy conversion devices. In addition, the low capital investment, ease of permitting, and quick installation have made them attractive to investors. As a result, gas turbines have become a dominant technology for new power generating capacity in the United States and worldwide. A variety of factors have contributed to the popularity of gas turbine technology. Financing considerations are the key high-level driver. Pollutant emissions play another important role, particularly in motivating the specific technology improvements and innovations over the last decade. For example, in the United States, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 imposed strict guidelines on the control of nitrogen oxides, NOx, which, along with SO2, is a major contributor to acid rain This book focuses on a particularly serious difficulty in low emissions gas turbines: combustion-driven oscillations.