One-Piece Combustion Deflector With Flexible Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combustion systems for turbine engines are complex, expensive, and prone to damage due to high temperature and pressure, with many separate components that are difficult to assemble and require aft-mounted installation, limiting their efficiency and durability.
Innovation Solution
A combustion system featuring a one-piece deflector with integrally formed swirlers that covers the entire annulus, attached to the cowl via weak arms allowing thermal expansion, reducing component count and enabling forward mounting for improved assembly and vibration resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If many separate components are used in the combustion system, then the system can be assembled from an aft position, but the system becomes expensive and complex to prepare and assemble
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (deflector, swirlers, and combustion chamber structure) into a single integrated one-piece component. This consolidation reduces the number of parts that need to be assembled, simplified the assembly process, and eliminated the need for complex aft-mounted assembly procedures, directly resolving the contradiction between assembly flexibility and component complexity
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid attachment is used to fix the deflector with the cowl, then structural stability is improved, but thermal expansion causes damage due to high temperature and pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible arms to attach the deflector to the cowl, replacing rigid attachment mechanisms. These flexible arms can dynamically accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the deflector during operation, maintaining structural stability while preventing damage from thermal stresses, thus resolving the contradiction between stability and thermal reliability
3Device complexity
If a one-piece deflector with integrally formed swirlers is used, then component count and cost are reduced, but the deflector must accommodate thermal expansion while maintaining structural stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different mechanical properties to different parts of the deflector assembly. The flexible arms provide compliance for thermal expansion, while the main deflector body maintains structural stiffness to contain the combustion chamber and support the swirlers. This localized differentiation of mechanical properties allows the one-piece design to simultaneously achieve reduced complexity and maintained strength under thermal conditions
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 solution simplifies the assembly process, reduces weight and cost, and enhances durability by allowing thermal expansion while maintaining structural stiffness, providing better resistance to vibrations and thermal stresses.
Implementation Method 1
attached to the cowl via weak arms which are rigid enough to fix the deflector with the cowl while allowing for thermal expansion flexibility therebetween
Data Source
AI summary
The present subject matter provides a combustion system which comprising: a cowl; a deflector configurated to include a ring body, a plurality of swirlers integrated on the ring body and a plurality of arms integrally extending outward from the ring body; an annular inner liner attached with the cowl; and an annular outer liner attached with the cowl. The deflector is positioned between the inner liner and the outer liner; the deflector, the inner liner and the outer line define a combustion chamber thereamong. The deflector is attached to the cowl via the plurality of arms, but the arms are rigid enough to work together to fix the deflector with the cowl while allowing for thermal expansion flexibility therebetween at the same time.