Combustor Dome Tiles With Sigmoid Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional multipoint fuel injection systems in gas turbine engines face challenges with complex manifolding that impedes airflow and requires costly, intricate designs, necessitating a simpler and more integrated solution for improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
Innovation Solution
A combustor dome tile system with a ceramic matrix composite material, featuring sigmoid profiles and feather seal elements, allows for a segmented and interlocking design that forms a complete annular dome with multiple injection orifices, integrated with a multipoint injection system including a manifold and injection nozzles, providing enhanced sealing and airflow management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional complex manifolding is used for multipoint fuel injection, then fuel injection functionality is achieved, but airflow from compressor to combustor is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the manifold and combustor dome into a single integrated component structure. The manifold is positioned within the combustor dome assembly, eliminating the need for separate complex manifolding that would impede airflow. This merging allows fuel injection functionality while maintaining open airflow paths from compressor to combustor.
Solution Approach 2:
The combustor dome is segmented into multiple tiles with injection orifices distributed throughout. This segmentation allows for simplified individual tile construction while achieving multipoint injection functionality collectively, avoiding the need for complex integrated manifolding.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional fuel injector designs are used, then fuel injection is achieved, but complex manifolding and high cost result
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fuel injector functionality directly into the combustor dome tile structure. Injection orifices are defined through the tile bodies themselves, eliminating the need for separate complex fuel injectors and their associated manifolding systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The combustor dome tiles serve multiple functions: they form the combustor structure, provide thermal insulation, and incorporate fuel injection orifices. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate specialized components, reducing overall system complexity and cost.
3Ease of operation
If segmented tile design is used for combustor dome, then assembly facilitation and sealing are achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The combustor dome is divided into multiple separable tiles that can be assembled independently. Each tile has standardized interfaces with sigmoid profiles that simplify the assembly process while maintaining sealing integrity through the feather seal elements.
Solution Approach 2:
Feather seal elements are introduced as intermediary components at the interfaces between adjacent tiles. These seals compensate for minor manufacturing tolerances and ensure gas-tight sealing without requiring extremely high precision in the tile manufacturing themselves.
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 enables improved sealing against unwanted airflow and facilitates assembly, enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions by integrating cold metallic components with hot ceramic components, while maintaining adaptability and reducing stress fractures.
Implementation Method 1
Each channel of at least one of the pairs of axially spaced apart channels can include a feather seal element seated therein for creating a gas seal between the tile body an identical adjacent tile body
Implementation Method 2
The sigmoid profiles can radially trap the feather seal elements between each circumferentially adjacent pair of the tile bodies
Data Source
AI summary
A tile for a combustor dome of a gas turbine engine includes a tile body defining an upstream surface and an axially opposed downstream surface with at least one injection orifice defined through the tile body from the upstream surface to the downstream surface. The tile body extends in a radial direction from a radially inner surface to a radially outer surface. The radially inner and outer surfaces define circular arcs that are concentric with one another. The tile body extends circumferentially from a first end face to a second end face. The first end face follows a sigmoid profile and the second end face follows a sigmoid profile configured to interlock with the sigmoid profile of the first end face of another identical tile body.