Burner Cooling Structures With Annular Plenum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern combustors in turbomachines face inefficiencies due to the need for multiple cooling air circuits to cool burners, which increases the utilization of cooling air and decreases overall turbomachine efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A burner design featuring a main body with an annular air plenum and a single cooling air passage system that includes multiple circumferentially spaced cooling channels, providing efficient cooling without the need for multiple air circuits by directing cooling air both to the burner front face and purging cavities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If multiple cooling air circuits are used to cool various features of the burners, then the burners are effectively cooled, but the amount of cooling air required increases and overall turbomachine efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cooling air circuits into a single integrated cooling air passage that delivers cooling air to multiple locations (burner front face and purging cavities) through a unified system, reducing the total amount of cooling air required while maintaining effective cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The single cooling air passage performs multiple functions: it cools the burner front face through cooling channels and simultaneously purges hot gases from purging cavities, allowing one air circuit to serve multiple cooling purposes that previously required separate circuits
2Temperature
If multiple cooling air circuits are used to cool various features of the burners, then comprehensive cooling coverage is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate cooling air circuits into a single cooling air passage with multiple outlets, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining comprehensive cooling coverage across different burner features
Solution Approach 2:
The single cooling air passage is segmented into multiple functional outlets (cooling channels for the front face and purging channels for cavities), allowing differentiated cooling functions to be achieved through one integrated structure rather than multiple separate circuits
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 reduces the amount of cooling air required, enhancing turbomachine efficiency by effectively cooling the burners and purging hot gases from cavities using a single air circuit.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cooling channels circumferentially spaced apart from one another along the burner front face. Each cooling channel of the plurality of cooling channels extends from a respective inlet in fluid communication with the annular air plenum to a respective outlet defined in the outer surface upstream from the burner front face
Data Source
AI summary
A burner includes a main body having an outer surface and at least partially defining an interior. The main body further includes an upstream end axially spaced from a downstream end. The outer surface includes a burner front face at the downstream end of the main body. An annular cooling air plenum is defined in the main body radially inwardly from the outer surface. A cooling air passage extends from the outer surface to the annular cooling air plenum. A plurality of cooling channels is circumferentially spaced apart from one another along the burner front face. Each cooling channel of the plurality of cooling channels extends from a respective inlet in fluid communication with the annular cooling air plenum to a respective outlet.