Combustion chamber and aircraft engine and aircraft comprising same

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of aero-engines, and particularly discloses a combustion chamber, an aero-engine comprising the same and an aircraft. The combustion chamber comprises a hydrogen nozzle, an air vortex device and a flame tube. The air vortex device is connected in series at the front and back, and has an air vortex channel inside. The hydrogen nozzle and the flame tube are respectively arranged at the front and back of the air vortex device. The hydrogen nozzle has a plurality of hydrogen injection micro-holes which are communicated with the air vortex channel. The hydrogen injection micro-holes of the hydrogen nozzle are used to provide hydrogen. Even if the hydrogen combustion speed is fast, the hydrogen reverse combustion can be effectively prevented by using the narrow aperture, the risk of backfire is avoided, and the hydrogen can be sprayed to a long distance, so that the problem of poor hydrogen diffusion due to the light hydrogen quality is overcome. In addition, the air vortex device makes the air flow into the air vortex device form a vortex and uniformly mix with the hydrogen, so that the phenomenon of high hydrogen-air ratio and hot spot concentration in the local area is improved, thereby reducing the nitrogen oxides generated by combustion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of aero engines, and specifically proposes a combustion chamber and an aero engine and aircraft including the combustion chamber. Background Technology

[0002] Hydrogen is a promising clean and renewable energy source, making it ideal for use as fuel in aircraft engines. However, hydrogen fuel has a high calorific value, resulting in higher main combustion zone temperatures in combustion chambers using hydrogen fuel compared to those using aviation kerosene, at the same equivalence ratio. Furthermore, hydrogen's light weight and poor jet diffusion lead to uneven mixing with air, resulting in localized areas with high hydrogen-to-air ratios and concentrated hot spots. This results in the generation of large amounts of nitrogen oxides during combustion, polluting the environment. Additionally, hydrogen burns rapidly and is prone to backfire during combustion, posing a safety hazard. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to solve at least some of the technical problems mentioned above, and this purpose is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0004] In a first aspect, the present invention proposes a combustion chamber comprising a hydrogen nozzle, an air vortex, and a flame tube; the air vortex is connected front to back and has an air vortex channel inside; the flame tube is located at the rear end of the air vortex and has a main combustion zone inside, which is connected to the air vortex channel; the hydrogen nozzle is located at the front end of the air vortex and has multiple hydrogen injection micro-holes, which are connected to the air vortex channel.

[0005] In some embodiments, the air vortex includes a main combustion stage vortex and a pre-combustion stage vortex, with the main combustion stage vortex concentrically nested around the periphery of the pre-combustion stage vortex; the hydrogen nozzle includes a branched first hydrogen channel and a second hydrogen channel, with the first hydrogen channel flowing through the pre-combustion stage vortex and the second hydrogen channel flowing through the main combustion stage vortex.

[0006] In some embodiments, the outlet end of the first hydrogen channel is provided with a plurality of hydrogen injection micro-holes arranged radially.

[0007] In some embodiments, the outlet end of the second hydrogen channel is provided with a plurality of hydrogen injection micro-holes spaced circumferentially along the main combustion stage vortex.

[0008] In some embodiments, the number of hydrogen injection micro-holes in the first hydrogen channel is n1, and the number of hydrogen injection micro-holes in the second hydrogen channel is n2, then n2≥n1.

[0009] In some embodiments, the aperture of the hydrogen injection micro-orifice is d, then 0.4mm≤d≤0.8mm.

[0010] In some embodiments, the pre-combustion stage vortex generator includes a first-stage vortex generator and a second-stage vortex generator, with the second-stage vortex generator concentrically nested around the periphery of the first-stage vortex generator; and / or, the main combustion stage vortex generator includes a third-stage vortex generator and a fourth-stage vortex generator, with the fourth-stage vortex generator concentrically nested around the periphery of the third-stage vortex generator.

[0011] In some embodiments, the circumferential surface of the flame tube is provided with a main combustion port and a mixing port for air to enter, with the main combustion port located in front of the mixing port; the main combustion port and the air vortex form a main combustion zone, and the main combustion port and the mixing port form a temperature control zone.

[0012] In a second aspect, the present invention also proposes an aircraft engine that includes the combustion chamber described in the first aspect.

[0013] Thirdly, the present invention also proposes an aircraft that includes the aero-engine described in the second aspect.

[0014] The technical solution provided by this invention has at least the following technical effects:

[0015] This invention provides hydrogen through the hydrogen injection micro-orifices of a hydrogen nozzle. Even with a fast hydrogen combustion rate, the narrow orifice effectively prevents reverse combustion of hydrogen, avoiding the risk of backfire. It also facilitates the injection of hydrogen over a longer distance, overcoming the problems of hydrogen's light weight and poor diffusion. In addition, the air vortex generator creates a vortex in the incoming air and mixes it evenly with the hydrogen, improving the phenomenon of high hydrogen-to-air ratio and concentrated hot spots in local areas, thereby reducing the nitrogen oxides generated during combustion. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To better integrate the content illustrated in the accompanying drawings with the description of the specific embodiments, a brief introduction to the drawings is provided below. It is understood that the accompanying drawings mentioned below are merely schematic illustrations of some embodiments of the relevant technical solutions and the present invention, and those skilled in the art can create drawings illustrating other embodiments without creative effort.

[0017] Specifically, the annotations for the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0018] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the combustion chamber described in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the combustion chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of the middle part of the structure.

[0021] Specifically, the annotations for the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0022] 100. Combustion chamber; 110. Hydrogen nozzle; 120. Air vortex generator; 130. Flame tube;

[0023] 1. Hydrogen inlet; 2. Main combustion port; 3. Mixing port; 4. First-stage vortex generator; 5. Second-stage vortex generator; 6. Third-stage vortex generator; 7. Fourth-stage vortex generator; 8. First injection port; 9. Second injection port;

[0024] A. First hydrogen channel; B. Second hydrogen channel. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the embodiments of the present invention clearer, they will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the content mentioned below represents only a portion of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Therefore, other embodiments derived without inventive effort are all within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to impose strict limitations on the technical solutions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. For example, the use of "a," "an," and "the" to modify a feature does not exclude the possibility that the feature may be plural in another embodiment.

[0027] It should be understood that the terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are open-ended and therefore indicate the presence of the stated feature, but do not exclude the presence of other features. Similarly, although the terms "first," "second," etc., may be used in the text to describe multiple features, these features should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one feature from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used in the text do not imply order or sequence.

[0028] It should be understood that, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the terms "setup," "connection," and "installation" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0029] In addition, for ease of description, the text uses terms of spatial relative relationship to describe the position of one feature relative to another feature, such as "inner", "outer", "end", "side", "upper", "middle", "lower", "high", "low", "axial", "circumferential", "radial", "horizontal", "vertical", "first direction", "second direction", etc. It is understood that the spatial relative relationship between two features should include other embodiments besides those shown in the accompanying drawings of the specification.

[0030] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] Firstly, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The present invention proposes a combustion chamber 100, which includes a hydrogen nozzle 110, an air vortex 120, and a flame tube 130; the air vortex 120 is connected front and rear and has an air vortex channel inside; the flame tube 130 is located at the rear end of the air vortex 120, and has a main combustion zone inside, which is connected to the air vortex channel; the hydrogen nozzle 110 is located at the front end of the air vortex 120, and has multiple hydrogen injection micro-holes, which are connected to the air vortex channel.

[0032] This invention provides hydrogen through the hydrogen injection micro-orifices of the hydrogen nozzle 110. Even with a fast hydrogen combustion rate, the narrow orifice effectively prevents reverse combustion of hydrogen, avoiding the risk of backfire. It also facilitates the injection of hydrogen over a longer distance, overcoming the problems of hydrogen's light weight and poor diffusion. In addition, the air vortex generator 120 causes the incoming air to form a vortex and mix it evenly with the hydrogen, improving the phenomenon of high hydrogen-to-air ratio and concentrated hot spots in local areas, thereby reducing the nitrogen oxides generated during combustion.

[0033] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The air vortex generator 120 includes a main combustion stage vortex generator and a pre-combustion stage vortex generator, with the main combustion stage vortex generator concentrically nested around the pre-combustion stage vortex generator. The hydrogen nozzle 110 includes a branched first hydrogen channel A and a second hydrogen channel B, with the first hydrogen channel A flowing through the pre-combustion stage vortex generator and the second hydrogen channel B flowing through the main combustion stage vortex generator. In some embodiments, the pre-combustion stage vortex generator includes a first-stage vortex generator 4 and a second-stage vortex generator 5, with the second-stage vortex generator 5 concentrically nested around the first-stage vortex generator 4; and / or, the main combustion stage vortex generator includes a third-stage vortex generator 6 and a fourth-stage vortex generator 7, with the fourth-stage vortex generator 7 concentrically nested around the third-stage vortex generator 6.

[0034] In the above embodiments, the air vortex 120 is configured in stages, specifically two stages, four stages, etc., thereby further enhancing the uniformity of air-hydrogen mixing, reducing the fuel equivalent in local areas of the combustion chamber 100, effectively avoiding excessive hydrogen content in local areas, which would lead to violent combustion, excessively high temperature, and cause nitrogen in the air to participate in the reaction and generate nitrogen oxides, thus making the exhaust gas of the aero engine cleaner.

[0035] In some embodiments, the outlet end of the first hydrogen channel A has a plurality of hydrogen injection micro-holes arranged radially. In some embodiments, the outlet end of the second hydrogen channel B has a plurality of hydrogen injection micro-holes spaced circumferentially along the main combustion stage vortex. In some embodiments, the number of hydrogen injection micro-holes in the first hydrogen channel A is n1, and the number of hydrogen injection micro-holes in the second hydrogen channel B is n2, then n2 ≥ n1. In some embodiments, the aperture of the hydrogen injection micro-holes is d, then 0.4 mm ≤ d ≤ 0.8 mm.

[0036] In some embodiments, the first hydrogen channel A has a large inner diameter, one end of which is connected to a hydrogen supply device, and the other end extends to the pre-combustion stage vortex generator and forms a first injection port 8. The first injection port 8 consists of a plurality of axially distributed and radially arranged hydrogen injection micro-holes. This structure is beneficial to improving the diffusion of the injected hydrogen, thereby enhancing the uniformity of mixing of the hydrogen with the air introduced into the first-stage vortex generator 4 and the second-stage vortex generator 5. In addition, the second hydrogen channel B consists of a plurality of narrow channels arranged circumferentially and all connected to the first hydrogen channel A. Each narrow channel forms a second injection port 9. This structure is beneficial to improving the diffusion of the injected hydrogen, thereby enhancing the uniformity of mixing of the hydrogen with the air introduced into the third-stage vortex generator 6 and the fourth-stage vortex generator 7.

[0037] It should be noted that both the main combustion stage vortex generator and the pre-combustion stage vortex generator operate in both high-power and low-power configurations of the aero-engine. The amount of air introduced into the main combustion stage vortex generator is no less than that introduced into the pre-combustion stage vortex generator. Correspondingly, the number of hydrogen injection micro-orifices connected to the main combustion stage vortex generator is no less than the number of hydrogen injection micro-orifices connected to the preheating stage vortex generator.

[0038] In addition, the orifice diameter of the hydrogen injection micro-orifice should not be too large in order to avoid the risk of backfire and enhance the injection distance. At the same time, its orifice diameter should not be too small, otherwise it will affect the hydrogen supply. Specifically, its orifice diameter can be, but is not limited to, 0.4 mm, 0.6 mm, or 0.8 mm.

[0039] It should also be noted that in some embodiments, the first hydrogen channel A and the second hydrogen channel B can be used to inject hydrogen regardless of whether the aircraft engine is in high-power or low-power mode; in other embodiments, the aircraft engine injects hydrogen through both the first hydrogen channel A and the second hydrogen channel B in high-power mode, while in low-power mode only the first hydrogen channel A injects hydrogen.

[0040] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The flame tube 130 has a main combustion port 2 and a mixing port 3 for air to enter on its circumference. The main combustion port 2 is located in front of the mixing port 3. The main combustion port 2 and the air vortex generator 120 form the main combustion zone, and the main combustion port 2 and the mixing port 3 form the temperature control zone.

[0041] In this embodiment, air is introduced through the main combustion port 2 to participate in the combustion process, reducing the fuel equivalence and further preventing excessive hydrogen content in local areas of the combustion chamber 100, which could lead to concentrated combustion hotspots and the generation of nitrogen oxides. Additionally, air is introduced through the mixing port 3 after combustion has ended, primarily to reduce the wall temperature in that area and extend the lifespan of the combustion chamber 100.

[0042] In a second aspect, the present invention also proposes an aircraft engine that includes the combustion chamber 100 described in the first aspect.

[0043] Thirdly, the present invention also proposes an aircraft that includes the aero-engine described in the second aspect.

[0044] In the above embodiments, the aero-engine in the second aspect and the aircraft in the third aspect both include the combustion chamber 100 in the first aspect. Therefore, the aero-engine and aircraft proposed in this application have all the technical effects of the combustion chamber 100, and the technical effects of the combustion chamber 100 will not be repeated here.

[0045] It is understood that the above embodiments do not limit the configuration of the aircraft engine and the aircraft, that is, the aircraft engine and the aircraft in this application may also include other structures, such as ignition devices.

[0046] In particular, the term "and / or" in this invention should be understood as follows:

[0047] In the first case, the term “and / or” located between the first subject and the second subject includes any of the following meanings: (1) only the first subject; (2) only the second subject; and (3) both the first subject and the second subject.

[0048] In the second case, the term "and / or" between the last two of three or more subjects means including at least any one of the subjects. For example, "first subject, second subject and / or third subject" has the same meaning as "first subject and / or second subject and / or third subject", specifically including the following combinations: (1) only the first subject; (2) only the second subject; (3) only the third subject; (4) the first subject and the second subject and no third subject; (5) the first subject and the third subject and no second subject; (6) the second subject and the third subject and no first subject; and (7) the first subject, the second subject and the third subject.

[0049] Furthermore, although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the concept of the present invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A combustion chamber, characterized in that, Includes a hydrogen nozzle (110), an air vortex generator (120), and a flame tube (130). The air vortex generator (120) is connected at the front and rear and has an air vortex channel inside; The flame tube (130) is located at the rear end of the air vortex generator (120), and the interior of the flame tube (130) has a main combustion zone, which is connected to the air vortex channel; The hydrogen nozzle (110) is located at the front end of the air vortex (120), and the hydrogen nozzle (110) has a plurality of hydrogen injection micro-holes, which are connected to the air vortex channel. The air vortex generator (120) includes a main combustion stage vortex generator and a pre-combustion stage vortex generator, with the main combustion stage vortex generator concentrically nested around the pre-combustion stage vortex generator; the hydrogen nozzle (110) includes a first hydrogen channel (A) and a second hydrogen channel (B) formed by branches, with the first hydrogen channel (A) flowing through the pre-combustion stage vortex generator and the second hydrogen channel (B) flowing through the main combustion stage vortex generator; The first hydrogen channel (A) has a plurality of hydrogen injection micro-holes arranged radially at its outlet end; The outlet end of the second hydrogen channel (B) is provided with a plurality of hydrogen injection micro-holes spaced circumferentially along the main combustion stage vortex. The diameter of the hydrogen injection micro-orifice is d, then 0.4mm≤d≤0.8mm.

2. The combustion chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of hydrogen injection micro-holes in the first hydrogen channel (A) is n1, and the number of hydrogen injection micro-holes in the second hydrogen channel (B) is n2, then n2≥n1.

3. The combustion chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The pre-combustion stage vortex generator includes a first-stage vortex generator (4) and a second-stage vortex generator (5), with the second-stage vortex generator (5) concentrically nested around the first-stage vortex generator (4). And / or, the main combustion stage vortex generator includes a third-stage vortex generator (6) and a fourth-stage vortex generator (7), wherein the fourth-stage vortex generator (7) is concentrically nested around the third-stage vortex generator (6).

4. The combustion chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The flame tube (130) has a main combustion hole (2) and a mixing hole (3) for air to enter on its circumference. The main combustion hole (2) is located in front of the mixing hole (3). The main combustion zone is formed between the main combustion hole (2) and the air vortex generator (120), and the temperature control zone is formed between the main combustion hole (2) and the mixing hole (3).

5. An aircraft engine, characterized in that, Includes the combustion chamber (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. An aircraft, characterized in that, Including the aircraft engine as described in claim 5.

Images