Combustor Inner Wall Air Channels Suppress Backfire

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combustor designs fail to effectively suppress backfire and ensure stable combustion due to issues with flame stability and the generation of vortexes, which can lead to overheating and damage.

Innovation Solution

A combustor design featuring a mixing-chamber forming member with air inlet holes that supply combustion air from the outer peripheral side, eliminating structural components that disturb airflow and generate vortexes, thereby promoting efficient mixing and preventing backfire.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If structural components are provided on the outer surface of the mixing-chamber forming member to supply fuel, then fuel supply function is achieved, but vortexes are generated that cause backfire and flame instability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion stabilityVSAvoidvortex generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the fuel supply function from the outer surface structural components and relocates it to the inner wall surface of the mixing chamber. This eliminates the protruding components that generate vortexes and backfire, while maintaining the fuel supply function through holes formed in the inner wall surface of the mixing-chamber forming member.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of supplying fuel from the outer surface (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by supplying fuel from the inner wall surface of the mixing chamber. This reversal eliminates the harmful vortex generation while achieving the same fuel supply objective.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If air supply channels are provided on the outer surface of the mixing-chamber forming member, then air supply function is achieved, but airflow disturbance and vortex formation occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidairflow stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes air supply channels from the outer surface and relocates air supply to the inner wall surface of the mixing chamber. This extraction eliminates airflow disturbance and vortex formation caused by outer surface channels, while maintaining efficient air supply for combustion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If fuel is supplied into the mixing chamber, then combustion process is enabled, but backfire occurs due to poor mixing and vortexes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion stabilityVSAvoidbackfire

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the potential harm of fuel supply into a benefit by positioning fuel holes on the inner wall surface where they can effectively mix with air without generating vortexes. The fuel supply mechanism itself becomes part of the solution rather than the problem, enabling stable combustion without backfire.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 effectively suppresses backfire, reduces NOx generation, prevents coking, improves combustion stability, and increases the efficiency of the gas turbine by ensuring stable airflow and mixing of fuels and air, leading to a more reliable and efficient combustion process.

Implementation Method 1

a channel for supplying the air for combustion to the mixing chamber from the outer peripheral side of the mixing-chamber forming member is provided inside the mixing-chamber forming member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

a mixing chamber in which air for combustion and fuel are mixed with each other

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMixing:

Implementation Method 3

a combustion chamber for burning a gas mixture mixed in the mixing chamber and producing combustion gases

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentUS8596070B2Combustor comprising a member including a plurality of air channels and fuel nozzles for supplying fuel into said channels

Publication Date: 2013.12.03 MITSUBISHI POWER LTD

AI summary

A combustor and a combustion method for the combustor, which can suppress backfire and ensure stable combustion. The combustor comprises a mixing-chamber forming member for forming therein a mixing chamber in which air for combustion and fuel are mixed with each other, and a combustion chamber for burning a gas mixture mixed in the mixing chamber and producing combustion gases. A channel for supplying the air for combustion to the mixing chamber from the outer peripheral side of the mixing-chamber forming member is provided inside the mixing-chamber forming member. The fuel and the air are premixed in the channel, and a resulting premixed gas mixture is supplied to the mixing chamber.