Annular Combustor Venturi Nozzle for Gas Turbine Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turboprop engines used in small airplanes suffer from inefficiency due to high fuel consumption, making them economically unfeasible for replacement of less reliable piston engines.
Innovation Solution
The design of a combustor with an annular combustion chamber and fuel injection nozzles that create a Venturi effect, enhancing mass flow and efficiency, combined with a fuel injection nozzle featuring a Venturi nozzle and baffle body for improved fuel vaporization and mixing, and the use of hydrogen enrichment to enhance combustion cleanliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a turboprop engine is downscaled for small airplanes, then it can replace piston engines, but fuel consumption increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the combustion chamber geometry, specifically creating a Venturi effect through a narrowed annular passage. This geometric parameter change accelerates the combustion gases, increases mass flow through the turbine, and improves energy extraction efficiency, thereby reducing fuel consumption while maintaining engine reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic flow characteristics by designing the annular combustion chamber passage to create a Venturi effect. The varying cross-sectional area along the flow direction dynamically accelerates the combustion gases, optimizing the mass flow rate and energy delivery to the turbine, which improves overall engine efficiency
2Productivity
If the combustion chamber cross-sectional area is reduced, then mass flow increases due to Venturi effect, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a localized Venturi section within the annular combustion chamber. The narrowing is confined to a specific region rather than the entire passage, allowing the system to benefit from increased mass flow velocity in the throat region while maintaining adequate pressure in other sections. This localized geometric modification optimizes the trade-off between mass flow enhancement and pressure drop
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the annular geometry of the combustion chamber, adding a radial dimension to the flow path. By varying the cross-sectional area in the radial direction while maintaining axial flow, the design creates a two-dimensional flow control mechanism that enhances mass flow through the Venturi effect without proportionally increasing pressure losses
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed design improves the efficiency of the gas turbine assembly by increasing mass flow and reducing fuel consumption, while also reducing air pollution through cleaner combustion, making turboprop engines more viable for small airplanes.
Implementation Method 1
The inner wall portion and the outer wall portion are shaped so as to provide that the inner cross-sectional diameter of the annular inner space of the combustion chamber initially decreases (narrows) towards the open end of the combustion chamber nozzle and ultimately widens again, thus causing a Venturi effect where a radial distance between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion is smallest.
Implementation Method 2
the apex that together with the outer wall portion of the combustion chamber wall defines a Venturi nozzle for accelerating the hot combustion exhaust gases and causing a lowered static pressure in the inner space close to the combustion chamber annular nozzle
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The invention concerns a combustor (24) for a gas turbine assembly (20). The combustor comprises a plurality of fuel injection nozzles (24.7) and an annular combustion chamber (24.1). The annular combustion chamber comprises an inner space (24.5) that is enclosed by a combustion chamber wall (24.2) with an inner wall portion (24.2.1), a front wall portion (24.2.2) and an outer wall portion (24.2.3). The front wall portion (24.2.2) closes the combustion chamber (24.1) at a combustion chamber front end and the inner wall portion (24.2.1) and the outer wall portion (24.2.3) define an open annular nozzle (24.3) at the rear side of the combustion chamber (24.1). The fuel injection nozzles are circumferentially arranged around the outer wall portion (24.2.3) and protrude into the inner space (24.5) enclosed by the combustion chamber wall (24.2). According to the invention, the innerwall portion (24.2.1) and the outerwall portion (24.2.3) are shaped so as to provide that the inner cross-sectional diameter of the annular inner space of the combustion chamber (24.1) initially decreases (narrows) towards the open end of the combustion chamber nozzle (24.3) and ultimately widens again, thus causing a Venturi effect where radial distance between the inner wall portion (24.2.1) and the outer wall portion (24.2.3) is smallest.