Chamfered Combustor Dome Cooling Apertures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas turbine engine combustor cooling methods, such as machined cooling rings and effusion cooling holes, are inefficient in terms of cost and effectiveness, necessitating an improvement in cooling air distribution and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an annular combustor shell with overlapping inner and outer liners featuring chamfered flanges and cooling apertures that direct pressurized air through sharp corners, enhancing air flow and cooling efficiency while providing structural stiffening to prevent deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional machined cooling rings or effusion cooling holes are used, then cooling function is provided, but cost and cost effectiveness are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies effusion cooling by providing a combustor wall with effusion holes distributed across the surface, allowing cooling air to pass through and form a protective film on the inner surface. This porous structure provides effective cooling while being more cost-effective than traditional machined cooling rings.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamfered outer flange structure provides self-aligning and self-sealing functionality during assembly. The chamfer geometry automatically guides the flange into proper position and creates a sealing effect without requiring additional sealing components or precise machining, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining reliability.
2Strength
If flanges are physically fastened together to fix liners in position, then structural integrity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the sealing function and structural connection function into a single chamfered flange interface. The overlapping flanges with chamfered edges provide both the seal between inner and outer liners and the structural fastening, eliminating the need for separate sealing components and simplifying assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamfered flange structure provides self-aligning and self-sealing functionality during assembly. The chamfer geometry automatically guides the flange into proper position and creates a sealing effect without requiring additional sealing components or complex assembly procedures.
3Reliability
If cooling apertures are oriented to direct air flow adjacent to inner surfaces, then film cooling efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the cooling apertures by providing chamfered edges and specific orientation angles. The chamfered outer flange with cooling apertures oriented to direct air flow adjacent to the inner surface of the combustor wall creates favorable flow conditions that enhance film cooling efficiency while being achievable with standard manufacturing tolerances.
4Strength
If chamfered profile with intersecting wall portions is used, then structural stiffening is provided to prevent deformation, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the chamfered profile locally at the outer flange region where structural stiffening is most needed to prevent deformations during assembly and operation. The intersecting wall portions creating obtuse angles are positioned specifically at the corners of the flange structure, providing localized reinforcement without complicating the entire combustor geometry.
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 configuration improves cooling efficiency by maximizing air flow and film cooling on the combustor walls, reduces deformation risk through structural stiffening, and allows for cost-effective manufacturing without the need for perfect flange sealing or machining, thereby enhancing overall combustor performance.
Implementation Method 1
direct cooling air through holes in the combustor wall to provide effusion and/or film cooling
Implementation Method 2
providing structural stiffening to prevent deformation
Implementation Method 3
said inner and outer flanges being physically fastened together such as to fix said inner liner and said outer liner in position relative to each other
Data Source
AI summary
A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes an annular combustor shell having an inner liner and an outer liner respectively with inner and outer flanges at least partly overlapping to form a dome end portion of the shell, at least the outer flange including intersecting upstream and downstream wall portions defining a corner therebetween, the upstream wall portion having a plurality of cooling apertures defined therethrough immediately upstream of the corner, and the cooling apertures being oriented to direct a cooling air flow from outside the combustor shell therethrough and adjacent an inner surface of the downstream wall portion.