Abstract:
A tangential entry premixing fuel injector ( 10 ) for a gas turbine engine combustor includes a pair of offset scrolls ( 18 ) whose ends define a pair of entry slots ( 36 ) for admitting primary combustion air tangentially into a mixing chamber ( 28 ) bounded by the scrolls ( 18 ) and by longitudinally spaced endplates ( 14, 16 ). An array of fuel injection passages ( 42 ) extends along the length of the slots. The passage array is configured to inject a primary fuel nonuniformly along the length of the air entry slots and to control the fuel penetration depth d in proportion to slot height H . The injector also includes a flame disgorging centerbody ( 48 ) having a bluff tip ( 54 ) longitudinally aligned with the injector's discharge plane ( 22 ) and a secondary fuel conduit ( 80 ) extending through the centerbody for discharging a secondary combustible fluid, preferably gaseous fuel, through a series of fuel discharge openings ( 84 ) in the tip ( 54 ). The flame disgorging centerbody improves fuel injector durability by resisting ingestion of combustion flame into the mixing chamber ( 28 ) and reliably disgorging any flame that is ingested. The controlled fuel penetration depth reinforces the flame disgorging capability of the centerbody by preventing fuel from penetrating into the slowly moving boundary layer attached to the centerbody ( 48 ). The bluff character of the centerbody, in combination with its longitudinal alignment with the fuel injector discharge plane, makes the centerbody capable of anchoring the flame at the discharge plane so that combustion occurs aft of the discharge plane where the combustion flame is unlikely to damage the scrolls or centerbody. Introduction of fuel or fuel and air through the openings in the bluff tip encourage the flame to become anchored to the tip and therefore spatially stabilizes the flame, resulting in additional attenuation of acoustic oscillations and further improved combustor durability. The longitudinally nonuniform injection of primary fuel compensates for any mixing nonuniformities attributable to the flame disgorging centerbody and therefore augments flame stability. The injector and an associated method of premixing fuel and air prior to combustion suppress formation of nitrous oxides, and improve the durability of both the injector and the combustor.
Abstract:
A noise control cassette (40) for a gas turbine engine (20) includes a perforated face sheet (50) configured for exposure to an airflow, a non-perforated backing sheet (52), a core (54A) arranged between the face sheet (50) and the backing sheet (52) and defining a cavity (62) between the face sheet (50) and the backing sheet (52) having an effective length (L) tuned so as to provide acoustic reactance control, and an attachment face (56) for attaching the cassette to an airfoil-shaped structure (44).
Abstract:
A tangential entry premixing fuel injector (10) for a gas turbine engine combustor includes a pair of offset scrolls (18) whose ends define a pair of entry slots (36) for admitting primary combustion air tangentially into a mixing chamber (28) bounded by the scrolls (18) and by longitudinally spaced endplates (14,16). An array of fuel injection passages (42) extends along the length of the slots. The passage array is configured to inject a primary fuel nonuniformly along the length of the air entry slots and to control the fuel penetration depth d in proportion to slot height H. The injector also includes a flame disgorging centerbody (48) having a bluff tip (54) longitudinally aligned with the injector's discharge plane (22) and a secondary fuel conduit (80) extending through the centerbody for discharging a secondary combustible fluid, preferably gaseous fuel, through a series of fuel discharge openings (84) in the tip (54). The flame disgorging centerbody improves fuel injector durability by resisting ingestion of combustion flame into the mixing chamber (28) and reliably disgorging any flame that is ingested.
Abstract:
A method for burning fuel in the combustor of a gas turbine engine with a premixing type of combustion which comprises providing a scroll swirler (14) having first and second endplates (16,18), the first endplate is spaced relation to the second endplate defining a substantially cylindrical mixing zone (28) therebetween, the second endplate having a combustor inlet port (20) extending therethrough, providing a centerbody (12) located within the mixing zone and having a radially outer surface that tapers toward the combustor inlet and extends substantially the entire length of the mixing zone, introducing a first portion of combustion air tangentially into the mixing zone substantially continuously along the length thereof, introducing a first portion of fuel into the combustion air as the combustion air is introduced into the mixing zone, mixing the combustion air and fuel by swirling the combustion air and fuel about the centerbody while flowing the combustion air and fuel towards the combustor inlet, flowing the first portion of combustion air into the combustor inlet, introducing a second portion of combustion air into the first portion radially inward thereof at the combustor inlet, the sum of the first and second portions of combustion air defining total airflow, and the second portion of combustion air equal to 85-89% of the total airflow, and burning the fuel external of the mixing zone.
Abstract:
A tangential entry premixing fuel injector ( 10 ) for a gas turbine engine combustor includes a pair of offset scrolls ( 18 ) whose ends define a pair of entry slots ( 36 ) for admitting primary combustion air tangentially into a mixing chamber ( 28 ) bounded by the scrolls ( 18 ) and by longitudinally spaced endplates ( 14, 16 ). An array of fuel injection passages ( 42 ) extends along the length of the slots. The passage array is configured to inject a primary fuel nonuniformly along the length of the air entry slots and to control the fuel penetration depth d in proportion to slot height H . The injector also includes a flame disgorging centerbody ( 48 ) having a bluff tip ( 54 ) longitudinally aligned with the injector's discharge plane ( 22 ) and a secondary fuel conduit ( 80 ) extending through the centerbody for discharging a secondary combustible fluid, preferably gaseous fuel, through a series of fuel discharge openings ( 84 ) in the tip ( 54 ). The flame disgorging centerbody improves fuel injector durability by resisting ingestion of combustion flame into the mixing chamber ( 28 ) and reliably disgorging any flame that is ingested. The controlled fuel penetration depth reinforces the flame disgorging capability of the centerbody by preventing fuel from penetrating into the slowly moving boundary layer attached to the centerbody ( 48 ). The bluff character of the centerbody, in combination with its longitudinal alignment with the fuel injector discharge plane, makes the centerbody capable of anchoring the flame at the discharge plane so that combustion occurs aft of the discharge plane where the combustion flame is unlikely to damage the scrolls or centerbody. Introduction of fuel or fuel and air through the openings in the bluff tip encourage the flame to become anchored to the tip and therefore spatially stabilizes the flame, resulting in additional attenuation of acoustic oscillations and further improved combustor durability. The longitudinally nonuniform injection of primary fuel compensates for any mixing nonuniformities attributable to the flame disgorging centerbody and therefore augments flame stability. The injector and an associated method of premixing fuel and air prior to combustion suppress formation of nitrous oxides, and improve the durability of both the injector and the combustor.
Abstract:
A method for burning fuel in the combustor of a gas turbine engine with a premixing type of combustion which comprises providing a scroll swirler (14) having first and second endplates (16,18), the first endplate is spaced relation to the second endplate defining a substantially cylindrical mixing zone (28) therebetween, the second endplate having a combustor inlet port (20) extending therethrough, providing a centerbody (12) located within the mixing zone and having a radially outer surface that tapers toward the combustor inlet and extends substantially the entire length of the mixing zone, introducing a first portion of combustion air tangentially into the mixing zone substantially continuously along the length thereof, introducing a first portion of fuel into the combustion air as the combustion air is introduced into the mixing zone, mixing the combustion air and fuel by swirling the combustion air and fuel about the centerbody while flowing the combustion air and fuel towards the combustor inlet, flowing the first portion of combustion air into the combustor inlet, introducing a second portion of combustion air into the first portion radially inward thereof at the combustor inlet, the sum of the first and second portions of combustion air defining total airflow, and the second portion of combustion air equal to 85-89% of the total airflow, and burning the fuel external of the mixing zone.
Abstract:
A noise control cassette (40) for a gas turbine engine (20) includes a perforated face sheet (50) configured for exposure to an airflow, a non-perforated backing sheet (52), a core (54A) arranged between the face sheet (50) and the backing sheet (52) and defining a cavity (62) between the face sheet (50) and the backing sheet (52) having an effective length (L) tuned so as to provide acoustic reactance control, and an attachment face (56) for attaching the cassette to an airfoil-shaped structure (44).