To gain an improved understanding of the complex flow field structures in practical aero-engine combustor
LES(large eddy simulation) with dynamic Smagorinsky sub-grid model on self-developed CFD platform was made to explore the cold flow field in single rectangle dome of triple swirler under 0.5MPa. The complex geometric configuration including all about 2000 film cooling holes on liner was fully simulated without any conventional simplification in order to reduce the modeling errors. The capability of the CFD code to simulate very complicated flow was validated by the calculation. Unsteady process of the turbulent swirling flow developing from static to statistically stationary status was totally reproduced. Interaction between mainstream and transverse jet was investigated and swirling flow characteristics like vortex breakdown were well captured. Turbulent kinetic energy spectrum predicted by calculation was in reasonable agreement with the -5/3 law in classic turbulence theory
while time-averaged flow field predicted by LES fitted well with PIV (particle image velocimetry)measurement. It shows that the high fidelity mesh and large eddy simulation can be applied in the simulation of full annular combustor of aero-engine.