Gas Turbine Combustor Fuel Distribution via Duplex Nozzles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine combustors face challenges in reducing emissions and noise while improving operational efficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A fuel system with duplex and simplex nozzles, a primary and secondary manifold, and an equalizer valve is used to create local circumferential zones with varying fuel-air ratios, allowing for selective fuel pressure equalization between manifolds to control noise and emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If uniform fuel distribution is used in the combustor, then operational efficiency is improved, but noise and emissions cannot be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform fuel distribution with different fuel-air ratios in different circumferential zones of the combustor. Specifically, it uses simplex nozzles and duplex nozzles positioned at different locations (top dead center, bottom dead center, intermediate positions) to deliver different amounts of fuel to different regions, thereby reducing noise and emissions while maintaining operational efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fuel delivery system into multiple independent nozzle groups (simplex nozzles and duplex nozzles) that can be controlled separately. The fuel manifold is divided into multiple manifolds with independent control valves, allowing each circumferential zone to receive customized fuel quantities based on its specific operational requirements
2Stability of the object's composition
If fuel pressure is equalized across all manifolds, then fuel distribution uniformity is improved, but noise reduction capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic fuel pressure control through an equalizer valve that can selectively connect or disconnect different fuel manifolds based on operating conditions. The valve transitions between open and closed positions to either equalize or differentiate fuel pressures across manifolds, allowing the system to adapt fuel distribution to match varying noise reduction requirements across different power conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fuel pressure parameter dynamically by using the equalizer valve to control pressure distribution. When the valve is closed, different manifolds maintain different fuel pressures to create non-uniform fuel distribution for noise reduction. When the valve is open, fuel pressures are equalized for uniform distribution, thereby adapting the pressure parameter to different operational needs
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 system effectively reduces tone amplitudes and enhances stability by varying fuel-air ratios, minimizing noise and emissions across different power conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an equalizer valve in communication with the primary manifold and the secondary manifold. The equalizer valve is movable between an open position and a closed position, the closed position is operable to permit a supply of fuel pressure to the primary manifold that is greater than fuel pressure to the secondary manifold
Implementation Method 2
selectively forming a plurality of local circumferential zones with different fuel-air ratios within the combustor including forming a high fuel-air ratio circumferential zone at a top dead center position and forming a low fuel-air ratio circumferential zone at a bottom dead center position
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel system for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of duplex nozzles arranged on each side of top dead center and a plurality of simplex nozzles. A primary manifold is operable to communicate fuel to a primary flow jet in each of the plurality of duplex nozzles and a secondary manifold is operable to communicate fuel to a secondary flow jet in each of the plurality of duplex nozzles and a secondary flow jet in each of the plurality of simplex nozzles. An equalizer valve that is in communication with both the primary manifold and the secondary manifold distributes fuel at various pressures to both the primary and secondary manifolds.