An atmospheric combustor model with optical access for non-premixed swirl-stabilized flames was developed in order to investigate the combustion behavior of gas turbine fired with low-caloric syngases and to create a data-base for the validation of numerical combustion models. In the present work, newly developed fully 3-D PIV measurements of the combustor aerodynamics at cold conditions are presented together with detailed wall temperature measurements in hot conditions. These data are respectively used to validate the combustor numerical model from an aerodynamic point of view and as boundary conditions when combustion simulations with different approaches are carried out. Thermocouple traverses data and global emissions analyzers results are then used as reference data for combustion models validation. Propane, as reference fuel, and a synthetic mixture of CH4, CO, CO2, H2 are considered.