Swirl is the preferred flame stabilizing mechanism in the highly turbulent flowfield existing in gas turbine (GT) engines, both aero as well as terrestrial.

One of the prominent features in any swirl stabilized flow is the formation of the central recirculation zone (CRZ) above a certain swirl number (S). The CRZ not only improves the mixing of the fresh fuel/air with the burned gases but also supplies the hot burned gas at the root of the flame essential, for the flame stabilization.

The swirl combustion flow field is associated with high shear stresses, high turbulence intensities, and flame speeds, resulting from the vortex breakdown.

The goal is to understand the influence of swirl and the corresponding local turbulence fluctuations on the fuel/air mixing and thereby its effect on the flame stabilization, combustion dynamics and pollutant formation.