Interconnecting Fuel Lines for Combustor Can Acoustic Decoupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing combustor can assemblies for gas turbine engines face challenges with in-phase coherent tones leading to reduced thermodynamic efficiency and flame stability, requiring complex and resource-intensive tuning to avoid frequency coincidences with turbine components, which limits operability and accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A combustor can assembly with interconnecting fuel lines between non-adjacent cans and a control device to independently modify the dynamic operational characteristics of these cans, imparting an oscillatory component with a predetermined frequency to the fuel flow, thereby reducing coherence of acoustic tones and enhancing combustion dynamics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If combustor cans are tuned with differing volumes and lengths to limit in-phase coherent tones, then frequency avoidance with turbine components is improved, but device complexity and tuning time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the fuel delivery system by introducing interconnecting fuel lines with specific lengths and configurations between non-adjacent combustor cans. This modifies the acoustic characteristics and fuel delivery dynamics to reduce coherent tones without requiring complex individual can tuning, thereby improving frequency avoidance while controlling device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The interconnecting fuel lines act as intermediaries between non-adjacent combustor cans, creating a coupling mechanism that allows control of coherent tones through the fuel delivery path rather than through complex modifications of each individual can. This mediator approach simplifies the overall tuning process while achieving the desired frequency avoidance
2Loss of energy
If traditional tuning techniques are used to avoid frequency coincidences, then thermodynamic efficiency is improved, but operability space is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control capabilities through the interconnecting fuel line configuration, which can actively adjust fuel delivery patterns to different combustor cans. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain thermodynamic efficiency across a broader range of operating conditions rather than being locked into a fixed tuned configuration, thereby expanding operability space
3Stability of the object's composition
If combustor cans are tuned to avoid in-phase tones, then flame stability is improved, but the accuracy of frequency avoidance is limited by predictive capability
Solution Approach 1:
The interconnecting fuel line configuration creates a system where fuel delivery to multiple combustor cans is coupled, allowing for feedback-based control of combustion dynamics. This coupling enables more precise control over flame stability and frequency avoidance by allowing adjustments that account for actual system behavior rather than relying solely on predictive models
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
This solution actively reduces coherence of acoustic tones across multiple combustor cans, improving thermodynamic efficiency and flame stability while simplifying frequency avoidance and reducing operational and maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
a first control device operatively coupled to the can fuel line of the first combustor can upstream of the first interconnecting fuel line first end. The first control device is operable to change a dynamic operational characteristic of the first and second combustor cans independently
Data Source
AI summary
A combustor can assembly includes a plurality of combustor cans spaced circumferentially about a gas turbine engine. Each combustor can is coupled in flow communication with at least one fuel manifold via a respective can fuel line. The combustor can assembly also includes a first interconnecting fuel line that includes a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled in flow communication with the can fuel line of a first combustor can, and the second end is coupled in flow communication with the can fuel line of a second combustor can that is not circumferentially adjacent to the first combustor can. The combustor can assembly further includes a first control device operatively coupled to the can fuel line of the first combustor can. The first control device is operable to change a dynamic operational characteristic of the first and second combustor cans independently of other combustor cans.