Additively-manufactured combustor with adaptive cooling passage

Abstract

To provide an additively-manufactured combustor with an adaptive cooling passage.SOLUTION: A combustor for a gas turbine system includes an additively-manufactured (AM) combustor body 44 that includes a one-piece member defining a combustion liner 52 and a transition piece 54 at a rear end of the combustion liner 52. A thermal barrier coating (TBC) 100 is disposed over an inner surface 48 of the combustor body 44. Adaptive cooling passages 110 are defined in the combustion liner 52 and / or the transition piece 54. Each adaptive cooling passage 110 includes an open end 112 in fluid communication with a cooling air source and a terminating end 114 provided in the body 44 spaced from the inner surface 48 by a distance. When slag 120 of the TBC 100 occurs at a location adjacent the terminating end 114 and the high temperature of the body 44 reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature, the terminating end 114 opens at the location through the distance to allow a flow of the cooling air through an inside of the AM combustor body 44.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to combustors of turbomachines, and more specifically, to additively manufactured combustor components having an adaptively opening cooling passage.

Background Art

[0002] A gas turbine system includes a combustion section including a plurality of combustors where fuel is burned to produce a combustion gas flow that is converted to kinetic energy in a downstream turbine. In each combustor, a combustion liner and a transition piece that generally define a combustion chamber are exposed to a high-temperature working fluid, such as combustion gas. A thermal barrier coating (TBC) is applied to the inner surface of the combustion liner or transition piece to protect the component, and cooling air may be passed through the outside of the combustion liner and / or transition piece to cool the component.

[0003] Before a particular combustor is put into operation in the field, many models and simulations may be performed, but the exact temperatures that the combustor may reach vary widely depending on various factors such as combustor-specific high and low temperature locations, the fuel used, the temperature and flow rate of the cooling air, etc. Specifically, the combustor may have temperature-dependent characteristics that can be adversely affected by overheating. If cooling is insufficient, excessive stress and oxidation can occur in the combustion liner or transition piece, leading to fatigue and damage. When cracks (referred to as spalls) occur in the TBC of the combustion liner or transition piece, the local temperature of the spalled portion can rise to a harmful temperature. This situation can also occur even if there are internal cooling passages in the combustion liner or transition piece at the location where the spall occurred. Improvement of the cooling technology for components exposed to combustion gas is desired.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] Any aspect, example, and feature described below can be combined in any technically possible way.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a combustor for a gas turbine system, the combustor including an additively manufactured (AM) combustor body including a one-piece member. The one-piece member includes a combustion liner and a transition piece at an aft end of the combustion liner. The AM combustor body has an inner surface and includes a plurality of parallel, sintered metal layerssintered metal layers), a thermal barrier coating is provided over the inner surface, the thermal barrier coating is exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature, at least one adaptive cooling passage is defined in at least one of the combustion liner and the transition piece, each adaptive cooling passage includes an open end in fluid communication with a coolant air source and a terminating end in the AM combustor body spaced from the inner surface by a distance, a spall in the thermal barrier coating occurs at a position adjacent the terminating end, and in response to the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the AM combustor body, the terminating end opens at the spaced distance to allow the flow of the cooling air into the interior of the AM combustor bodyThe terminating end opens at the location through the distance to allow a flow of the coolant air through to an inside of the AM combustor body).

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the AM combustor body further includes at least one flow sleeve surrounding at least part of the combustion liner and at least one axial fuel stage (AFS) injector mount integral with the AM combustor body).

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, and further includes a cooling passage that extends adjacent at least a portion of the at least one AFS injector mount and is in fluid communication with the at least one adaptive cooling passage).

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the coolant air source includes a flow passage between the at least one flow sleeve and an exterior of the combustion liner or the transition piece.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the AM combustor body includes at least one fuel passage extending longitudinally in the at least one flow sleeve from a forward end thereof to the at least one AFS injector.

[0010] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the AM combustor body further includes an aft frame at an aft end of the transition piece.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, and further includes a separate head end fuel nozzle assembly coupled to a forward end of the AM combustor body.

[0012] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a gas turbine (GT) system that includes a compressor section, a combustion section operatively coupled to the compressor section, and a turbine section operatively coupled to the combustion section. The combustion section includes at least one combustor including an additively manufactured (AM) combustor body including a one-piece member. The one-piece member includes a combustion liner and a transition piece at an aft end of the combustion liner. The AM combustor body has an inner surface. The AM combustor body includes a plurality of parallel, sintered metal layers and a thermal barrier coating applied over the inner surface, the thermal barrier coating being exposed to a high-temperature working fluid.the thermal barrier coating exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature), and at least one adaptive cooling passage defined in at least one of the combustion liner and the transition piece, each adaptive cooling passage including an open end in fluid communication with a coolant air source and a terminating end in the AM combustor body spaced from the inner surface by a distance, the terminating end opening at the location through the distance to allow a flow of the coolant air through to an inside of the AM combustor body in response to a spall in the thermal barrier coating occurring at a location adjacent the terminating end and the high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the AM combustor body).

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the AM combustor body further includes at least one flow sleeve surrounding at least part of the combustion liner and at least one axial fuel stage (AFS) injector mount integral with the AM combustor body.

[0014] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, and further includes a cooling passage that extends adjacent at least a portion of the at least one AFS injector mount and is in fluid communication with the at least one adaptive cooling passage.

[0015] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the coolant air source includes a flow passage between the at least one flow sleeve and an exterior of the combustion liner or the transition piece.

[0016] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the AM combustor body includes at least one fuel passage extending longitudinally in the at least one flow sleeve from a forward end thereof to the at least one AFS injector.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the AM combustor body further includes an aft frame at an aft end of the transition piece.

[0018] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, and further includes a separate head end fuel nozzle assembly coupled to a forward end of the AM combustor body.

[0019] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the foregoing aspects, wherein the combustion section includes a plurality of combustors, each combustor including the AM combustor body.

[0020] Combinations of two or more aspects described in this disclosure, including those described in this Summary section, can be made to form embodiments not specifically described herein. That is, all embodiments described herein can be combined with each other.

[0021] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] The features of this disclosure and other features will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate various embodiments of the disclosure.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

[0023] Note that the drawings of the present disclosure are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are intended to show only typical aspects of the present disclosure and should not, therefore, be regarded as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In the drawings, like elements between the drawings are represented by like numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] First, in order to clearly explain the present disclosure, specific terms need to be selected when referring to and describing related machine components in an exemplary application of a turbomachine. When doing this, if possible, use terms common in the industry and adopt them in a way that is consistent with their accepted meanings. Unless otherwise specified, such terms should be interpreted broadly to be consistent with the context of this application and the scope of the appended claims. One skilled in the art will understand that a particular component may be referred to by multiple different terms or overlapping terms. What is described herein as a single component may be included and referred to as consisting of multiple components in another context. Alternatively, what is described herein as including multiple components may be referred to as a single component elsewhere.

[0025] Furthermore, several explanatory terms may be regularly used in this specification, and it should be helpful to define these terms at the beginning of this section. These terms and their definitions are as follows, unless otherwise stated. As used herein, "downstream" and "upstream" are terms indicating the direction with respect to the flow of a working fluid through a combustor of a turbomachine, or, for example, air through a combustor, or a coolant through one of the component systems of a turbomachine. The term "downstream" corresponds to the direction of the fluid flow, and the term "upstream" refers to the direction opposite to the flow. The terms "forward" and "aft" refer to directions, unless otherwise specified, with "forward" referring to the front or compressor side of the turbomachine and "aft" referring to the rear or turbine side of the turbomachine.

[0026] The term "axial direction" refers to movement or position parallel to an axis, such as the axis of a combustor or a turbomachine. The term "radial direction" refers to movement or position perpendicular to an axis, such as the axis of a combustor or a turbomachine. In such cases, when a first component is closer to the axis than a second component, this specification describes the first component as being "radially inward" or "inboard" of the second component. On the other hand, when a first component is farther from the axis than a second component, this specification describes the first component as being "radially outward" or "outboard" of the second component. Finally, the term "circumferential direction" refers to movement or position around the axis, for example, the inner circumferential surface of a combustion liner or the inner circumferential portion of a casing extending around a combustor. As described above, it will be understood that such terms may be applied in relation to the axis of a combustor or a turbomachine, depending on the context.

[0027] Furthermore, as described below, several explanatory terms may be used regularly in this specification. The terms "first", "second", and "third" may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the position or importance of individual components.

[0028] The terms used in this specification are for the sole purpose of describing particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Further, as used herein, the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" specify the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. "Any" or "optionally" means that the event described thereafter may or may not occur, or that the function described thereafter may or may not exist, and the description includes examples where the event occurs or the function exists, and where the event does not occur or the function does not exist.

[0029] When an element or layer is described as being "on", "engaged with", "connected to", "coupled to", or "attached to" another element or layer, that element or layer may be directly on, engaged with, connected to, coupled to, or attached to, or there may be intervening elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is described as being "directly on", "directly engaged", "directly connected", "directly coupled", or "directly attached", there are no intervening elements or layers between it and another element or layer. Other terms used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" vs. "directly between", "adjacent" vs. "directly adjacent", etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The verb forms "coupled" and "mounted" may be used interchangeably herein.

[0030] Embodiments of the present disclosure include a combustor for a gas turbine system. The combustor includes an additive manufacturing (AM) combustor body that includes a unitary member including a combustion liner and a transition piece provided at a rear end of the combustion liner. The AM combustor body includes a plurality of parallel sintered metal layers. A thermal barrier coating (TBC) is provided on an inner surface of the AM combustor body. Adaptive cooling passages are defined in the combustion liner and / or the transition piece. Each adaptive cooling passage includes an open end in fluid communication with a cooling air source and a terminating end (terminating end) within the AM combustor body spaced from the inner surface. A spall in the TBC occurs at a position adjacent to the terminating end, and when the high temperature of the AM combustor body reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature, the terminating end opens at that position through a distance, allowing a flow of cooling air into the interior of the AM combustor body.

[0031] The AM combustor body extends the life of the combustor by providing adaptive cooling when a spall occurs. Adaptive cooling does not affect the efficiency of the GT system and can be implemented at low cost by additive manufacturing methods. The additive manufacturing method also reduces the cost of the combustor body by eliminating many of the numerous parts and required assembly steps. In addition, the AM combustor body can be designed to eliminate welding and high-stress welds in stress-prone shapes, such as between the rear end of the transition piece and the rear frame of the combustor, resulting in improved durability over conventional types. Also, with additive manufacturing methods, manufacturing updates can be made quickly and easily, such as by placing adaptive cooling passages in the required locations in different combustor models.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an exemplary gas turbine (GT) system 10 that may incorporate various embodiments of a combustor 40 of the present disclosure. As shown, GT system 10 generally includes an inlet section 12 that can include a series of filters, cooling coils, moisture separators, and / or other devices for purifying and conditioning the working fluid (e.g., air) 14 entering GT system 10. The working fluid 14 flows into compressor 16 within compressor section 17, where the working fluid 14 is gradually given kinetic energy, generating high-energy compressed air 18 (hereinafter, “air 18,” “cooling air 18,” or “compressed air 18”). The compressed air 18 is mixed with fuel 20 from fuel source 22 within at least one combustor 40 within combustion section 23 operably coupled to compressor section 17 to form a combustible mixture. Combustion section 23 includes a plurality of combustors 40, each combustor 40 including an additively manufactured combustor body 44 as described herein. The combustible mixture is combusted to produce high-temperature and high-pressure combustion gases 26.

[0033] The combustion gases 26 flow through turbine 28 of turbine section 29 operatively coupled to combustion section 23 to produce work. For example, turbine 28 may be connected to shaft 30 such that rotation of turbine 28 drives compressor 16 to produce compressed air 18. Alternatively, or in addition, shaft 30 may connect turbine 28 to generator 32 to generate electricity. The exhaust gases 34 from turbine 28 flow through exhaust section 36 that connects to exhaust stack 37 downstream of turbine 28. Exhaust section 36 may include, for example, a heat recovery boiler (not shown) for purifying the exhaust gases 34 before release to the environment and extracting additional heat from the exhaust gases 34. When multiple combustors 40 are used, they may be circumferentially spaced around the turbine inlet 38 of turbine 28.

[0034] In one embodiment, GT system 10 may include models currently commercially available from GE Vernova in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular gas turbine system and can be applied, for example, to other HA, F, B, LM, GT, TM, and E-class engine models of GE Vernova, as well as to other engines including engine models of other companies. Further, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular turbomachine and can also be applied, for example, to steam turbines, jet engines, compressors, turbofans, etc.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of combustor 40 disposed within GT system 10, and FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view along view line 3-3 in FIG. 2 of the adaptive cooling passages within combustor body 44. As shown in FIG. 2, combustor 40 is at least partially surrounded by an outer casing 46, such as a compressor discharge casing and / or a turbine casing. The interior of outer casing 46 is in fluid communication with a discharge of compressor 16 and forms at least a portion of cooling air source 80. Cooling air source 80 may include at least one flow path 86 among other passages that may be included between at least one flow sleeve 82 and the outside of combustion liner 52 or transition piece 54.

[0036] Combustor 40 for GT system 10 includes an AM combustor body 44 that includes an integral member 50. Integral member 50 includes combustion liner 52 and a transition piece 54 at the rear end (right side as shown in FIG. 2) of combustion liner 52. AM combustor body 44, more particularly, combustion liner 52 or transition piece 54 may also include an inner surface 48 (FIG. 4). In a particular embodiment, AM combustor body 44 may include at least one axial fuel stage (AFS) injector 56 directed into combustion liner 52 and a rear frame 70, as described herein, as part of integral member 50.

[0037] The combustion liner 52, also known as the high temperature gas path (HGP) duct or integral liner, extends downstream of a separate head end fuel nozzle assembly 58 (hereinafter, "head end assembly 58") coupled to the front end 60 of the AM combustor body 44. The head end assembly 58 generally includes at least one axially extending fuel nozzle 64 extending downstream from an end cover 65, and a cap assembly 62 extending radially and axially within the outer casing 46 downstream of the end cover 65. The head end assembly 58 may include any axially extending fuel nozzle 64 known currently or developed later for supplying fuel 20 from the axially extending fuel nozzle 64 to the primary combustion zone 66. In certain embodiments, the axially extending fuel nozzle(s) 64 of the head end assembly 58 extend at least partially through the cap assembly 62 and supply a combustible mixture of fuel and compressed air 18 to the primary combustion zone 66.

[0038] The AFS injector 56 extends radially through the liner 52 downstream of the axially extending fuel nozzle(s) 64. Compressed air 18 may be directed to the AFS injector 56 to mix with fuel 20 for combustion in a secondary combustion zone 68 downstream of the primary combustion zone 66. The AM combustor body 44 includes at least one axial fuel stage (AFS) injector mount 57 (FIG. 6) and may be integrally formed with the AM combustor body 44. The nozzle portion of the AFS injector 56 may be integrally formed with or coupled to the AFS injector mount 57. The combustion liner 52 at least partially defines a high temperature gas path (HGP) for flowing combustion gas 26 from the primary combustion zone 66 and the secondary combustion zone 68 to the turbine inlet 38 of the turbine 28 during operation of the GT system 10.

[0039] The transition piece 54 at the rear end of the combustion liner 52 transitions the high temperature gas path (HGP) from the circular cross-section of the liner to the more polygonal cross-section of the turbine inlet 38 of the turbine 28. The combustor 40 may also include a rear frame 70 at the rear end of the transition piece 54 (right side in FIG. 2).

[0040] The combustor 40 may also include at least one flow sleeve 82 that surrounds at least a portion of the combustion liner 52. The flow sleeve(s) 82 can also surround the transition piece 54. Each flow sleeve 82 is spaced apart along at least a portion of the outer surface 84 of the combustion liner 52 and / or the transition piece 54, defining a flow path(s) 86 therein. The flow sleeve(s) 82 can direct at least a portion of the compressed air 18 from the cooling air source 80, for example, to the head end assembly 58 and / or one or more radially extending AFS injectors 56, where the air is mixed with the fuel 20 and combusts in the primary combustion zone 66 and / or the secondary combustion zone 68 downstream of the primary combustion zone 66.

[0041] In certain embodiments, the AM combustor body 44 further includes at least one fuel passage 90 that extends longitudinally within at least one flow sleeve 82 from its front end to the AFS injector 56. The fuel passage 90 is integrally formed within the flow sleeve 82 and thus within the combustor body 44. The fuel passage 90 can be operably coupled to the fuel supply 22 in any manner and supply the fuel 20 to the AFS injector 56. Alternatively, the fuel passage(s) 90 can be spaced radially outside the flow sleeve 82 and be printed (i.e., integral with the combustor body 44), or can be a separate component extending from the fuel supply 22 to the AFS injector(s) 56.

[0042] As a result of additive manufacturing, there are no mechanical connections between the various components (i.e., all are integral). FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an arbitrary portion of the additively manufactured combustor body 44 (hereinafter, the "AM combustor body 44" or the "combustor body 44"). As shown in FIG. 3, the AM combustor body 44 includes, for example, a plurality of parallel sintered metal layers 92 obtained by its additive manufacturing.

[0043] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view along the line of sight A-A (two possible positions) in FIG. 2 of a part of the inner surface 48 of the combustion liner 52 or the transition piece 54 of the AM combustor body 44. The combustor 40 may include a thermal barrier coating (TBC) 100 on the inner surface 48. The TBC 100 is exposed to a working fluid having a high temperature, such as combustion gas 26. The TBC 100 may include any thermal barrier material currently known or later developed. For example, the TBC 100 may optionally include a bond coat layer 102 and a TBC layer 104. The bond coat layer 102 may include, but is not limited to, any bond coat material currently known or later developed. For example, nickel or platinum aluminide, nickel chromium aluminum yttrium (NiCrAlY) or nickel cobalt chromium aluminum yttrium (NiCoCrAlY), etc. The TBC layer 104 includes, but is not limited to, TBC materials currently known or later developed. For example, rare earth doped zirconium oxide, cobalt-nickel-chromium-aluminum-yttrium (CoNiCrAlY), yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), mullite (3AL2O3-2SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), ceria (CeO2), rare earth zirconate (e.g., La2Zr2O7), rare earth oxides (e.g., La2O3, Nb2O5, Pr2O3, CeO2), and metal glass composite materials, and any combination thereof (e.g., alumina and YSZ, or ceria and YSZ). In the case of YSZ, a stable sintered body xYSZ (x represents the molar% of yttrium ions, for example 8YSZ) can be obtained by substituting a certain amount of zirconium ions (Zr 4+ ) with slightly larger yttrium ions (Y 3+ ). The TBC 100 may include additional layers such as a thermally grown oxide.

[0044] The combustor 40, and more particularly the AM combustor body 44, also includes at least one adaptive cooling passage 110 defined in at least one of the combustion liner 52 and the transition piece 54. Each adaptive cooling passage 110 includes an open end 112 in fluid communication with a cooling air source 80 and a terminal end 114 within the AM combustor body 44 spaced a distance D from the inner surface 48. The distance D is, in certain embodiments, in the range of, for example, 1.70 to 2.70 millimeters (mm) (0.030 to 0.066 inches). In other embodiments, the distance may be about 2.29 mm (0.09 inches). Although shown generally extending in a radial direction, the adaptive cooling passage 110 may have any path within the AM combustor body 44. The adaptive cooling passage 110 may have any cross-sectional shape, such as circular, oval, polygonal, etc. The adaptive cooling passage 110 may have any desired cross-sectional area, but in certain embodiments is a "microchannel," which means that the hydraulic diameter is less than 1 millimeter.

[0045] The adaptive cooling passage 110 may be disposed anywhere where damage to the TBC 100 is anticipated. In certain embodiments, the operation of the AM combustor body 44 may be modeled or empirical data may be used to identify locations where the adaptive cooling passage 110 may be needed. For example, identifying locations that indicate the temperature at which the material oxidizes within the intended service interval of the combustion hardware when TBC spalls, i.e., hot spots, or other environmental conditions that typically cause damage to the TBC 100, such as spall 120, occur. In FIG. 2, for example, the adaptive cooling passages 110 are shown immediately downstream of the head end assembly 58, around the AFS injector 56, and immediately upstream of the rear frame 70. It will be understood that various alternative locations within the combustor are possible.

[0046] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view along line of sight A-A (two possible positions) in FIG. 2 of a portion of the inner surface 48 of the combustion liner 52 or the transition piece 54 of the AM combustor body 44 after a spall 120 has occurred in the TBC 100. The spall 120 can include any change in the TBC 100 that newly forms a heat path from the HGP to the inner surface 48, such as breakage, cracking, and / or displacement. The spall sizes can vary widely. When a spall 120 occurs in the TBC 100 of the AM combustor body 44, the local temperature of the body at the location where the spall occurred can rise to a harmful temperature. When a spall 120 occurs, typically the inner surface 48 will be exposed to high temperatures and other extreme environments of the HGP, whereas before the spall 120 occurred, the inner surface 48 was protected by the TBC 100. This situation can occur even if there is an internal flow path 86 within the AM combustor body 44 at the location where the spall occurred. As shown in FIG. 5, in response to a spall 120 in the TBC 100 that occurred at a location adjacent to the end terminal 114 and a high temperature that reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature of the AM combustor body 44, the end terminal 114 opens at that location over a distance D to allow cooling air 18 to flow into the interior of the AM combustor body 44.

[0047] As used herein, the "predetermined temperature of the AM combustor body 44" is the temperature at which at least a portion of the combustor body 44 undergoes a change in state in such a way as to enable its removal, whereby an opening 122 is formed therein. In many cases, as shown in FIG. 5, simply exposing the AM combustor body 44 alone, at a distance D from the HGP environment, results in a predetermined temperature sufficient for the removal of the AM combustor body 44, for example, removal by oxidation, sublimation, ashing, or melting. That is, the high temperature of the HGP causes degradation, i.e., removal, of the material within the distance D at that location, and an opening 122 to the adaptive cooling passage 110 is formed at that location. After the spall 120 occurs and the adaptive cooling passage 110 opens, the cooling air 18 passes through the opening 122 to the inner surface 48 and the HGP. That is, since the internal cooling air source 80 is fluidly coupled to the adaptive cooling passage 110 via, for example, the flow path 86 or other passageways, the cooling air 18 passes through the opening 122 and serves to cool the AM combustor body 44 despite the spall 120. This cooling extends the life of the combustor 40 and prevents further damage. In any case, the degree of the spall 120 determines the degree of the end terminal 114 (opening 122) that is opened, and thus also the degree of cooling. Although FIG. 5 shows one spall 120, any number of spalls 120 may exist, and a corresponding number of adaptive cooling passages 110 may be opened.

[0048] FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an AFS injector mount 57 for an AFS injector 56 (shown in dashed lines) of the combustor 40 according to an alternative embodiment, taken along the line of sight (view line) 6-6 of FIG. 2. In a particular embodiment, the AM combustor body 44 may extend adjacent to at least a portion of at least one AFS injector mount 57 and further include a cooling passage 126 that is in fluid communication with at least one adaptive cooling passage 110. Cooling air 18 enters the AFS cooling passage from the flow passage 86. The cooling passage 126, i.e., the AFS mount cooling passage 126, may be fluidly coupled to one or more adaptive cooling passages 110. FIG. 6 shows two different arrangements of the cooling passage 126. On the right side of FIG. 6, the AFS cooling passage 126 is formed by a wall 128 that extends spaced apart along a radially inner facing periphery 132, a radially extending periphery 134 of the AFS injector mount 57, and a wall 128 that extends along an outer surface 136 of the combustion liner 52 or the transition piece 54. An inner wall 129 is located within the cooling passage 126 (right side) and may include a number of impingement openings 131 therein. When the adaptive cooling passage(s) 110 is closed, the cooling air 18 passes through the AFS cooling passage 126 and returns to the flow passage 86. When the adaptive cooling passage(s) 110 is open, the cooling air 18 passes through the AFS cooling passage 126 and at least a portion thereof exits through the adaptive cooling passage(s) 110. On the left side of FIG. 6, the AFS cooling passage 126 may be formed by a wall 128 that extends spaced apart along a radially inner facing periphery 132, a radially extending periphery 134 of the AFS injector mount 57, and a wall 128 that extends along an outer surface 136 of the combustion liner 52 or the transition piece 54. The inner wall 129 is omitted on the left side of FIG. 6. When the adaptive cooling passage(s) 110 is closed, the coolant air 18 passes through the AFS cooling passage 126 and returns to the flow passage 86. When the adaptive cooling passage(s) 110 is open, the coolant air 18 passes through the AFS cooling passage 126 and at least a portion thereof exits through the adaptive cooling passage(s) 110.Each arrangement of FIG. 6 may be used alone (around all or part of the AFS injector mount 57) or together (around each part of the AFS injector 57 (shown)). In either case, the AFS cooling passage 126 may extend to one or more of the adaptive cooling passages 110 of the AM combustor body 44. In any case, the AFS cooling passage 126 may be in the form of microchannels or slightly larger than microchannels. The AFS injector mount 57 and the AFS cooling passage 126 may be additively manufactured together with the rest of the AM combustor body 44.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, the combustor 40 generally terminates at a point adjacent to the first stage 140 of the stationary nozzle 142 of the turbine 28. The first stage 140 of the stationary nozzle 142 at least partially defines the turbine inlet 38 to the turbine 28. The combustion liner 52 at least partially defines an HGP for guiding combustion gases 26 from the primary combustion zone 66 and the secondary combustion zone 68 to the turbine inlet 38 of the turbine 28 during operation of the GT system 10.

[0050] During operation, compressed air 18 flows from the compressor 16 and passes through various fluid flow paths. A portion of the compressed air 18 passes through the flow sleeve 82 so as to flow around the combustion liner 52 and / or the transition piece 54, is guided to the head end assembly 58 of the combustor 40, where its direction is reversed and it is directed to pass through the axially extending fuel nozzle 64. The compressed air 18 is mixed with the fuel 20 to form a first combustible mixture that is injected into the primary combustion zone 66. The first combustible mixture is combusted to generate combustion gas 26. A second portion of the compressed air 18 passes through the radially extending AFS injector 56 and is mixed with the fuel 20 from the fuel passage 90 (e.g., as an external conduit (shown) or a conduit from the fuel supply 22 provided within the flow sleeve 82) to form a second combustible mixture. The second combustible mixture is injected into the HGP through the liner 52. The second combustible mixture is at least partially mixed with the combustion gas 26 and combusts in the secondary combustion zone 68. As described above, the combustion liner 52 (and the transition piece 54) at least partially defines an HGP for flowing the combustion gas 26 from the primary combustion zone 66 and the secondary combustion zone 68 to the turbine inlet 38 of the turbine 28 during operation of the GT system 10.

[0051] When the GT system 10 operates, the compressed air 18 enters the cooling air source 80 and then enters a number of passages including the adaptive cooling passage 110 and, if provided, the AFS cooling passage 126. For example, the air 18 can be introduced into the flow passage 86 through the opening 150 (FIG. 2) of the flow sleeve(s) 82. The air 18 within the flow passage 86 between the flow sleeve(s) 82 and the combustion liner 52 and / or the transition piece 54 is guided to the inlet 146 of the AFS injector(s) 56 that is used for combustion with the fuel 20 in the secondary combustion zone 68. In any case, the air 18 also enters the adaptive cooling passage 110. As shown in FIG. 5, when a spall 120 occurs in the TBC 100, the adaptive cooling passage 110 can supply the air 18 through the combustion liner 52 and / or the transition piece 54 at the location of the spall.

[0052] The combustor 40 and the AM combustor body 44 may additionally be manufactured using any currently known or later developed technique capable of forming a large integral body. FIG. 7 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary computer-controlled metal powder additive manufacturing system 210 (hereinafter, "AM system 210") for generating the AM combustor body 44, in which only a single layer is shown. Although the teachings of the present disclosure are described in connection with constructing the AM combustor body 44 using multiple melt beam sources 212, 214, 216, 218, it is emphasized and readily recognized that the teachings of the present disclosure are equally applicable to constructing the AM combustor body 44 using any number of melt beam sources. In this example, the AM system 210 is arranged for direct metal laser melting (DMLM). The general teachings of the present disclosure are equally applicable to other forms of additive manufacturing of metal powders, such as selective laser melting (SLM), and are likely applicable to other forms of additive manufacturing (i.e., applications other than metal powders). The layers of the AM combustor body 44 on the build platform 220 are illustrated as circular elements in FIG. 7, but it is understood that the additive manufacturing process can be readily adapted to manufacture any shaped part of the AM combustor body 44 on the build platform 220.

[0053] The AM system 210 generally includes an additive manufacturing control system 230 (the "control system") and an AM printer 232. As described below, the control system 230 executes a set of computer-executable instructions or code 234 for generating a combustor body 44 using a plurality of melting beam sources 212, 214, 216, 218. In the illustrated example, the four melting beam sources may include four lasers. However, the teachings of the disclosure are applicable to any melting beam source, such as an electron beam, a laser, etc. The control system 230 is implemented on a computer 236 as computer program code. In this regard, the computer 236 is shown to include a memory 238 and / or a storage system 240, a processor unit (PU) 244, an input / output (I / O) interface 246, and a bus 248. Further, the computer 236 is shown to communicate with an external I / O device / resource 250. Generally, the processor unit (PU) 244 executes the computer program code 234 stored in the memory 238 and / or the storage system 240. While executing the computer program code 234, the processor unit (PU) 244 can read and / or write data to / from the memory 238, the storage system 240, the I / O device 250, and / or the AM printer 232. The bus 248 provides a communication link between each component within the computer 236, and the I / O device 250 can be composed of any device through which a user can interact with the computer 236 (e.g., a keyboard, a pointing device, a display, etc.).

[0054] Computer 236 is merely a representative example of various possible combinations of hardware and software. For example, the processor unit (PU) 244 may be composed of a single processing unit or may be distributed among one or more processing units at one or more locations on the client and server. Similarly, the memory 238 and / or the storage system 240 may be present in one or more physical locations. The memory 238 and / or the storage system 240 can be composed of any combination of various types of non-transitory computer-readable storage media, such as magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), etc. The computer 236 can be composed of any type of computing device, such as an industrial controller, a network server, a desktop computer, a laptop, a portable device, etc.

[0055] As described above, the AM system 210, particularly the control system 230, executes the code 234 to generate the combustor body 44. The code 234 can include, among other things, a set of computer-executable instructions 234S (hereinafter also referred to as "code 234S") for operating the AM printer 232, and a series of computer-executable instructions 234O (also referred to herein as "code 234O") that define physically generating the AM combustor body 44 by the AM printer 232. As described herein, the additive manufacturing process starts from a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., the memory 238, the storage system 240, etc.) that stores the code 234. The set of computer-executable instructions 234S for operating the AM printer 232 can include any software code currently known or later developed that can operate the AM printer 232.

[0056] The set of computer-executable instructions 234O that define the combustor body 44 includes an accurately defined 3D model of the combustor body 44 and can be generated from any of a variety of well-known computer-aided design (CAD) software systems such as AutoCAD®, TurboCAD®, DesignCAD 3DMax, etc. In this regard, the code 234O can include all file formats currently known or developed in the future. Further, the code 234O of the combustor body 44 can be converted between different formats. For example, the code 234O can be a standard tessellation language (STL) file created for a stereolithography CAD program of 3D Systems, or an additive manufacturing file (AMF) based on an extensible markup language (XML) format that is a standard of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and is designed to be able to describe the shape and composition of any three-dimensional object manufactured by any AM printer with any CAD software. The representative code 234O of the combustor body 44 can also be converted into a data signal for transmission, reception, encoded into a data signal, stored, etc., as required. The code 234O is configured according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and can enable the formation of boundaries and internal sections in overlapping field regions, as will be described later. In any case, the code 234O is an input to the AM system 210 and can be obtained from a component designer, an intellectual property (IP) provider, a design company, an operator or owner of the AM system 210, or other sources. In any case, the control system 230 executes the codes 234S and 234O, divides the combustor body 44 into a series of thin slices, and assembles them with continuous layers of material using the AM printer 232.

[0057] The AM printer 232 may include a processing chamber 260 that is sealed to provide a controlled atmosphere for printing the combustor body 44. The build platform 220 on which the combustor body 44 is constructed is disposed within the processing chamber 260. A number of melt beam sources 212, 214, 216, 218 are configured to melt a layer of metal powder on the build platform 220 to produce the combustor body 44. Although four melt beam sources 212, 214, 216, 218 are illustrated, it is emphasized that the teachings of the present disclosure are applicable to systems employing any number of sources, such as one, two, three, or five or more sources. As is understood in the art, each melt beam source 212, 214, 216, 218 may have a field that includes non-overlapping field regions that can each exclusively melt metal powder, and two or more sources may include at least one overlapping field region that can melt metal powder. In this regard, each melt beam source 212, 214, 216, 218 can generate a melt beam that fuses particles for each slice, as defined by the code 234O. For example, in FIG. 7, it is shown that the melt beam source 212 is forming a layer of the combustor body 44 using the melt beam 262 in a certain region, while the melt beam source 214 is forming a layer of the combustor body 44 using the melt beam 262' in another region. Each melt beam source 212, 214, 216, 218 is calibrated in any currently known or later developed method. That is, each melting beam source 212, 214, 216, 218 provides individual position correction (not shown) by correlating the predicted position and the actual position of the laser or electron beam relative to the build platform 220 to ensure individual accuracy. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of melt beam sources 212, 214, 216, 218 may generate melt beams, such as 262, 262', having the same cross-sectional dimensions (e.g., shape and size during operation), output, and scanning speed.

[0058] Continuing with FIG. 7, the applicator (or re-coater blade) 270 can create a thin layer of the raw material 272 spread out as a blank canvas on which each successive slice of the final combustor body 44 will be created. Various parts of the AM printer 232 may move in response to the addition of each new layer. For example, the build platform 220 may descend after each layer and the chamber 260 and / or the applicator 270 may ascend. In this process, different raw materials in the form of particulate metal powders can be used, which can be stored in the chamber 268 accessible to the applicator 270. In this example, the combustor body 44 can be made of a metal including a pure metal or an alloy. In one example, the metal can be substantially any non-reactive metal powder, i.e., a non-explosive or non-conductive powder, such as a cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloy, stainless steel, nickel-chromium-molybdenum-niobium (NiCrMoNb) alloy (e.g., Inconel 625 or Inconel 718, for example), nickel-chromium-iron-molybdenum alloy (NiCrFeMo) (e.g., Hastelloy® X available from Haynes International, Inc.), or nickel-chromium-cobalt-molybdenum alloy (NiCrCoMo) (e.g., Haynes 282 available from Haynes International, Inc.). Other possibilities include, for example, Rene 52, CM247, MarM247, and any precipitation hardening (PH) nickel alloys.

[0059] The processing chamber 260 is filled with an inert gas such as argon or nitrogen and is controlled to minimize or eliminate oxygen. The control system 230 is configured to control the flow of the gas mixture 274 within the processing chamber 260 from an inert gas source 276. In this case, the control system 230 can control the pump 280 and / or the flow valve system 282 for the inert gas to control the content of the gas mixture 274. The flow valve system 282 may include one or more computer controllable valves, flow sensors, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, etc. that can accurately control the flow rate of a specific gas. The pump 280 may or may not be provided with the valve system 282. When the pump 280 is omitted, the inert gas simply enters a conduit or manifold before being introduced into the processing chamber 260. The inert gas source 276 can take the form of any conventional source for the materials contained therein, for example, a tank, a reservoir, or other source. Any sensors (not shown) necessary to measure the gas mixture 274 may be provided. The gas mixture 274 may be filtered using a filter 286 in a conventional manner.

[0060] During operation, a build platform 220 loaded with metal powder is provided within the processing chamber 260, and the control system 230 controls the flow of the gas mixture 274 within the processing chamber 260 from a source of inert gas 276. The control system 230 also controls the AM printer 232, particularly the applicator 270 and the melt beam sources 212, 214, 216, 218, to sequentially melt layers of metal powder on the build platform 220 to produce a combustor body 44 in accordance with the disclosed embodiments. Although a specific AM system 210 is described herein, it is emphasized that the teachings of the present disclosure are not limited to a specific additive manufacturing system or method.

[0061] Once the AM combustor body 44 is formed, it may be assembled with other parts of the combustor 40 and / or connected to the turbine inlet 38, as shown in FIG. 2. For example, the head end assembly 58 may be coupled to the front end 60 of the combustor body 44. The head end assembly 58 may be coupled by any method known currently or developed later, such as welding or fasteners. Further, the turbine inlet 38 may be coupled to the rear frame 70. The rear frame 70 may be coupled to the turbine inlet 38 by any method known currently or developed later, such as welding or fasteners. Either end of the combustor body 44 may be coupled to other components using seals, as an addition or alternative to fasteners or weld joints.

[0062] The present disclosure provides various technical and commercial advantages, examples of which are discussed herein. The AM combustor body extends the life of the combustor by providing adaptive cooling when spallation occurs. As described above, adaptive cooling does not affect the efficiency of the GT system and is inexpensive when implemented with additive manufacturing methods. Additive manufacturing methods reduce the cost of the combustor body by eliminating many of the numerous parts and required assembly steps. Also, the AM combustor body improves durability. Further, with additive manufacturing, manufacturing updates can be made quickly and easily, such as by placing adaptive cooling passages as needed in different combustor models.

[0063] The approximation expressions used throughout this specification and the claims can be applied to modify any quantitative expression that may vary within the permitted range without accompanying a change in the relevant basic function. Accordingly, values modified by terms such as "about," "approximately," and "substantially" are not limited to the specified exact values. In at least some instances, the approximation expression may correspond to the accuracy of the instrument for measuring the value. Throughout this specification and the claims, limitations of a range may be combined and / or may be interchangeable. Such ranges are specified and include all sub-ranges contained therein, unless the context or the terms indicate otherwise. When the term "about" or "approximately" is applied to a particular value of a range, it applies to both end values and may indicate ±10% of the recited value(s), unless it depends on the accuracy of the instrument for measuring the value.

[0064] All corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of means or step-plus-function elements in the following claims are intended to include any structures, materials, or acts for performing the functions in combination with other specifically claimed elements. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed form. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Embodiments are chosen and described to best explain the principles of the disclosure and practical applications, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0065] 10: Gas turbine system / GT system 12: Inlet section 14; Working fluid / Air 16: Compressor 17; Compressor section 18: Compressed air / Air 20: Fuel 22: Fuel supply source 23: Combustion section 26: Combustion gas 28: Turbine 29: Turbine section 30: Shaft 32: Generator 34: Exhaust gas 36: Exhaust section 37: Exhaust stack 38: Turbine inlet 40: Combustor 44: Additive manufacturing combustor body / AM combustor body 46: Outer casing 50: Integrated member 52: Combustion liner 53: Cylindrical portion 54: Taper transition section 56: Axial fuel stage injector / AFS injector 58: Separate head end fuel nozzle assembly / Head end assembly 60: Front end 62: Cap assembly 64: Fuel nozzle 65: End cover 66: Primary combustion zone 68: Secondary combustion zone 70: Rear frame 72: First cooling passage 74: Inlet 76: Outlet 80: Air coolant source 82: Flow sleeve 84: Outer surface 86: Second cooling passage 88: Air inlet 90: Fuel passage 92: Sintered metal layer 100: Thermal barrier coating (TBC) 102: Bond coat layer 104: TBC layer 110: Adaptive cooling passage 112: Open end 114: Terminal end 120: Spall / Peel 122: Opening 126: Cooling passage 128: Wall 129: Inner wall 131: Impingement opening 132: Outer peripheral portion facing radially inward 134: Outer peripheral portion extending radially 136: Outer surface 140: First stage 142: Stationary nozzle 146: Inlet 150: Opening 210: Computerized metal powder additive manufacturing system / AM system 212, 214, 216, 218: Melt beam source 213: Tapered transition section 215: Rear end 217: Axial fuel stage injector / AFS injector 219: Rear frame 220: Build platform 222: Fuel passage 224: Cooling passage 230: Additive manufacturing control system 232: AM printer 234, 234O, 234S: Computer-executable instructions or code / Computer program code 236: Computer 238: Memory 240: Storage system 244: Processor unit (PU) 246: Input / output (I / O) interface 248: Bus 250: I / O device 260: Processing chamber 262, 262’: Melt beam268: Accessible chamber 270: Applicator / recoating blade 272: Raw material 274: Gas mixture 276: Inert gas 280: Pump 282: Flow valve system 286: Filter

Claims

1. A combustor (40) for a gas turbine system (10), an additively manufactured (AM) combustor body (44) including a monolithic member (50), the monolithic member (50) including a combustion liner (52) and a transition piece (54) at a rear end of the combustion liner (52), the AM combustor body (44) having an inner surface (48) and including a plurality of parallel sintered metal layers (92), the AM combustor body (44); a thermal barrier coating (100) applied on the inner surface (48), the thermal barrier coating (100) being exposed to a working fluid (26) having a high temperature, the thermal barrier coating (100); at least one adaptive cooling passage (110) defined in at least one of the combustion liner (52) and the transition piece (54), each adaptive cooling passage (110) including an open end (112) in fluid communication with a cooling air source (80) and a terminal end (114) within the AM combustor body (44) spaced from the inner surface (48), the at least one adaptive cooling passage (110); comprising; a spall (120) of the thermal barrier coating (100) occurring at a position adjacent to the terminal end (114), and in response to a high temperature reaching or exceeding a predetermined temperature of the AM combustor body (44), the terminal end (114) opens at a position spaced from the inner surface (48) to allow cooling air to pass into the interior of the AM combustor body (44), the combustor (40).

2. The AM combustor body (44) further includes at least one flow sleeve (82) surrounding at least a portion of the combustion liner (52) and at least one axial fuel stage (AFS) injector mount (57) integral with the AM combustor body (44), the combustor (40) according to claim 1.

3. The combustor (40) according to claim 2 further includes a cooling passage (126) extending adjacent to at least a portion of the at least one AFS injector mount (57) and in fluid communication with the at least one adaptive cooling passage (110).

4. The cooling air source (80) includes a flow path (86) between the at least one flow sleeve (82) and an outer side of the combustion liner (52) or the transition piece (54), the combustor (40) according to claim 2.

5. The AM combustor body (44) includes at least one fuel passage (90) that extends longitudinally within the at least one flow sleeve (82) from a front end (60) of the at least one flow sleeve (82) to the at least one AFS injector (56), the combustor (40) according to claim 2.

6. The AM combustor body (44) further includes a rear frame (70) at a rear end of the transition piece (54), the combustor (40) according to claim 2.

7. The combustor (40) according to claim 1 further includes a separate head end fuel nozzle assembly (58) coupled to a front end (60) of the AM combustor body (44).

8. A gas turbine (GT) system (10) comprising: a compressor section (17); a combustion section (23) operably coupled to the compressor section (17); a turbine section (29) operably coupled to the combustion section (23); and including: the combustion section (23) includes at least one combustor (40); the at least one combustor (40) is an additive manufacturing (AM) combustor body (44) including an integral member (50), the integral member (50) including a combustion liner (52) and a transition piece (54) located at a rear end of the combustion liner (52), the AM combustor body (44) having an inner surface (48) and including a plurality of parallel sintered metal layers (92), the AM combustor body (44); a thermal barrier coating (100) on the inner surface (48), the thermal barrier coating (100) being exposed to a working fluid (26) having a high temperature, the thermal barrier coating (100); at least one adaptive cooling passage (110) defined in at least one of the combustion liner (52) and the transition piece (54), each adaptive cooling passage (110) including an open end (112) in fluid communication with a cooling air source (80) and a terminal end (114) within the AM combustor body (44) spaced from the inner surface (48), the at least one adaptive cooling passage (110); and including: A GT system (10) in which a spool (120) of the heat insulation coating (100) that occurs at a position adjacent to the end end (114) and the end end (114) respond to a high temperature that reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature of the AM combustor body (44), and the end end (114) opens at a position separated by the distance in order to pass cooling air to the inside of the AM combustor body (44).

9. The GT system (10) according to claim 8, wherein the AM combustor body (44) further includes at least one flow sleeve (82) surrounding at least a part of the combustion liner (52) and at least one axial fuel stage (AFS) injector mount (57) integrated with the AM combustor body (44).

10. The GT system (10) according to claim 9, further including a cooling passage (126) that extends adjacent to at least a part of the at least one AFS injector mount (57) and is in fluid communication with the at least one adaptive cooling passage (110).

11. The GT system (10) according to claim 9, wherein the cooling air source (80) includes a flow path (86) between the at least one flow sleeve (82) and the outside of the combustion liner (52) or the transition piece (54).

12. The GT system (10) according to claim 9, wherein the AM combustor body (44) includes at least one fuel passage (90) that extends longitudinally from its front end (60) to the at least one AFS injector (56) within the at least one flow sleeve (82).

13. The GT system (10) according to claim 9, wherein the AM combustor body (44) further includes a rear frame (70) at the rear end of the transition piece (54).

14. The GT system (10) according to claim 8, further including a separate head end fuel nozzle assembly (58) coupled to the front end (60) of the AM combustor body (44).

15. The GT system (10) according to claim 8, wherein the combustion section (23) includes a plurality of combustors (40), and each combustor (40) includes the AM combustor body (44).

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