Arcuate Combustor Liner Panel Eliminates Steps

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combustor designs in gas turbine engines face challenges with durability and flow path issues due to steps between panels, dead regions, cooling challenges, and adverse local aerodynamics, particularly at interfaces where forward and aft panels merge or form transitions.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates non-linear liner panels with an arcuate surface section that extends over an angle of about 150 to 175 degrees, eliminating interfaces that result in steps, dead regions, and adverse aerodynamics, thereby enhancing combustor durability and performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional linear liner panels with straight edges are used, then manufacturing and assembly are simpler, but steps and dead regions form at panel interfaces causing durability and flow path issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustor durabilityVSAvoidliner panel geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The liner panel incorporates an arcuate surface section that extends over an angle of about 150 to 175 degrees, replacing traditional straight edges with curved geometry. This curvature eliminates steps and dead regions at panel interfaces, improving flow path characteristics and durability while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized arcuate designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Productivity

If linear panel profiles with straight side edges are used, then panel fabrication is easier, but adverse local aerodynamics and cooling challenges occur at interfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational efficiencyVSAvoidpanel fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The arcuate surface section with 150 to 175 degree angle provides smooth transitions that eliminate adverse aerodynamics and cooling challenges at interfaces, improving operational efficiency while the standardized curved geometry remains manufacturable using conventional processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Ease of operation

If panels terminate at sharp edges where combustor geometry transitions, then panel assembly is simpler, but flow path issues and cooling challenges arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel assemblyVSAvoidflow path issues

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The arcuate surface section replaces sharp termination edges with curved transitions, eliminating flow path issues and cooling challenges while the standardized geometry maintains straightforward assembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Data Source

PatentEP3321584B1Gas turbine engine combustor with an axially non-planar combustor liner panel

Publication Date: 2025.04.09 RTX CORP

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AI summary

A combustor for a gas turbine engine including a liner panel mounted to a support shell (70) via a multiple of studs, the liner panel including a forward section (140) and an aft section (142) that defines an arcuate surface section (144) therebetween in the axial profile between the forward section (140) and the aft section (142).