Arcuate Annular Guide Nozzle for Uniform Radial Airflow Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing nozzle designs for gas turbines fail to achieve uniform radial distribution of compressed working fluid, leading to non-uniform fuel-air mixtures and increased pressure drops, while also being costly and difficult to manufacture and install.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates an arcuate annular guide within the nozzle, separating from the shroud end and extending radially inward and outward, which divides the airflow into two streams, enhancing radial distribution without significant pressure drops and simplifying manufacturing and installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If an inlet flow conditioner with baffles and perforated screen is used to improve radial distribution of compressed working fluid, then the radial distribution is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases and assembly difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradial distribution uniformityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet flow conditioner is segmented into multiple independent baffles arranged radially within the annular passage. Each baffle divides the airflow into separate streams, creating a segmented flow pattern that improves radial distribution uniformity while keeping individual baffle components simple and easy to manufacture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The baffles act as intermediary elements between the compressed working fluid inlet and the nozzle outlet. These intermediate structures redirect and condition the airflow without requiring complex perforated screens or intricate assemblies, simplifying both manufacturing and assembly processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradial distribution uniformityVSAvoidpressure drop

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The baffles are positioned at specific locations within the annular passage where flow redistribution is most needed. Each baffle is designed with local geometric features optimized for redirecting airflow in its specific region, achieving overall radial distribution improvement while minimizing total pressure drop through localized rather than universal flow conditioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a complete perforated screen that would cause excessive pressure drop, the invention uses a partial arrangement of selective baffles at critical positions within the annular passage. This partial action approach achieves sufficient radial distribution improvement without the excessive pressure penalty of full-screen solutions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Stress or pressure

If a bellmouth opening is used to increase opening size and provide smooth flow surface, then the pressure drop is reduced, but the mass flow rate becomes concentrated around the center body and diminishes radially outward

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepressure dropVSAvoidradial distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The bellmouth opening is combined with radially arranged baffles that segment the concentrated center-flow into multiple distributed streams. This segmentation redirects the naturally concentrated flow from the bellmouth outward toward the shroud, achieving radial distribution uniformity while preserving the low pressure drop benefit of the bellmouth geometry

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention merges the bellmouth opening structure with the baffle array within the annular passage. The bellmouth provides the smooth inlet surface and low pressure drop characteristics, while the integrated baffles provide the radial redistribution function, combining the advantages of both structures into a single unified nozzle design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This design achieves improved radial and circumferential airflow distribution, maintaining low pressure drops and ease of manufacturing, resulting in a more uniform fuel-air mixture for efficient combustion.

Implementation Method 1

The arcuate annular guide defines a first airflow between the arcuate annular guide and the end of the shroud and a second airflow between the arcuate annular guide and the center body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow division:

Data Source

PatentUS8371123B2Apparatus for conditioning airflow through a nozzle

Publication Date: 2013.02.12 GE INFRASTRUCTURE TECH LLC

AI summary

A nozzle includes a center body and a shroud surrounding the center body to define an annular passage. An arcuate annular guide extending from a point radially inward of the shroud to a point radially outward of the shroud defines a first airflow between the arcuate annular guide and the shroud and a second airflow between the arcuate annular guide and the center body.