Turbine Combustor Dome Mixer Retention via Sheet Metal Cowl Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine combustor dome mixer assemblies are large and difficult to retain, leading to material waste and increased manufacturing and maintenance costs due to the need for additional material and labor in retaining mechanisms like welding or brazing.
Innovation Solution
A method and assembly for retaining mixers in a turbine engine combustor using a dome assembly ring with elongated rings, an inner cowl, and an outer cowl fabricated from sheet material, where the inner and outer cowls are coupled to the dome assembly ring, eliminating the need for additional retaining means like welding or brazing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If welding or brazing is used to retain mixers to the dome, then the mixers are securely retained, but additional material and labor are required resulting in increased manufacturing and maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the retaining function from the traditional welding/brazing process and integrates it into the cowl structure itself. The cowls are designed with built-in retaining features that mechanically hold the mixers, eliminating the need for separate welding or brazing operations while maintaining secure retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the retaining function with the cowl structure. Instead of using separate retaining mechanisms, the cowls are designed to simultaneously serve as both protective covers and retaining structures, integrating multiple functions into a single component.
2Reliability
If traditional retaining means are used for large dome mixer assemblies, then the mixers are retained in position, but material waste increases due to additional material required for retaining mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the retaining function with the existing cowl structure, eliminating the need for separate retaining components. The cowls are designed with integrated retaining features that use the same material already required for the cowl itself, thereby preventing additional material waste.
3Strength
If welding or brazing processes are used to assemble combustors, then strong joints are achieved, but labor requirements and manufacturing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the welding and brazing processes from the assembly sequence by incorporating mechanical retaining features directly into the cowl design. This allows the mixers to be secured through simple mechanical engagement rather than requiring complex thermal joining processes, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency.
4Strength
If heavy forgings are used for inner and outer cowls to provide retaining means, then sufficient structural strength is achieved, but the weight and material cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing structural strength only where needed for mixer retention, rather than making the entire cowl heavy. The cowls are designed with localized retaining features that concentrate strength at specific points, allowing the use of lighter materials overall while maintaining sufficient structural strength for the retention function.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of assembling a combustor for use in a turbine engine is disclosed. The method includes providing a dome assembly ring including a plurality of assembly ring openings, positioning a plurality of elongated rings on the dome assembly ring, providing a cowl assembly including an inner cowl portion and an outer cowl portion that are fabricated from sheet metal, and coupling the inner and outer cowl portions to the dome assembly ring such that each of the plurality of elongated rings is coupled to the dome assembly ring.