Gas Turbine Combustor Guide Vane Airflow Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In gas turbine combustors with cluster-type burners, the concentric arrangement of fuel nozzles increases airflow resistance, leading to uneven air distribution between inner and outer circumferential nozzles, resulting in unstable combustion and increased NOx emissions, which necessitates complex fuel supply systems and higher manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of guide vanes that divide the airflow passage into multiple passages to rectify and guide air flow uniformly to each nozzle array, ensuring a stable air supply and integrated fuel supply system without dividing the fuel supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If fuel nozzles are arranged concentrically in several arrays in a circumferential direction to form a cluster-type burner, then the burner structure is established, but flow passage resistance of combustion air increases and air distribution becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow passage is divided into multiple separate passages, with each passage serving a specific fuel nozzle array. This segmentation allows independent flow control for each nozzle array, eliminating the uneven air distribution caused by concentric arrangement while maintaining the cluster-type burner structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Guide vanes are introduced as intermediary components within each airflow passage to rectify and direct the flow of combustion air. These guide vanes ensure uniform air supply to each fuel nozzle array by controlling the flow direction and reducing resistance variations.
2Device complexity
If fuel nozzles are arranged concentrically in several arrays, then the cluster-type burner structure is formed, but combustion stability deteriorates due to uneven air supply
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the airflow passage into multiple independent passages, each supplying air to a specific fuel nozzle array, the system ensures stable and uniform air supply to each nozzle. This eliminates the instability caused by uneven air distribution in concentric arrangements while preserving the cluster-type burner configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
Each airflow passage is designed with specific local characteristics, including guide vanes tailored to the requirements of each fuel nozzle array. This localized optimization ensures that each nozzle receives the appropriate amount of air for stable combustion, addressing the specific needs of inner and outer circumferential nozzles differently.
3Device complexity
If fuel nozzles are arranged concentrically in several arrays, then the burner structure is established, but NOx emissions increase due to unstable fuel-air ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The division of airflow passage into multiple independent passages ensures that each fuel nozzle array receives a consistent and controlled supply of combustion air. This stable air supply maintains a proper fuel-air ratio for each nozzle, preventing the combustion instability that leads to increased NOx emissions while keeping the cluster-type burner structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Each airflow passage is optimized with local features such as guide vanes to ensure the correct fuel-air mixture at each fuel nozzle array. This localized control of air supply prevents rich or lean conditions that would otherwise cause unstable combustion and elevated NOx emissions.
4Reliability
If fuel supply system is divided to control fuel-air ratio for inner and outer circumferential nozzles, then combustion stability improves, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Guide vanes are introduced as intermediary components in the airflow passage to control and equalize air supply to all fuel nozzle arrays. This approach achieves stable combustion by maintaining proper fuel-air ratios through air flow control rather than complex fuel supply division, thereby reducing device complexity and manufacturing costs.
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 stabilizes combustion, reduces NOx emissions, and simplifies the fuel supply system by ensuring a consistent fuel-air ratio across all nozzle arrays, enhancing combustion stability and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
at least one guide vane formed to divide an airflow passage extending from an upstream side of the fuel nozzles to fuel injecting ports of the fuel nozzles, into a plurality of flow passages and rectify and guide a flow of air in each of the flow passages
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of premixing passages formed in a premixing plate, that are positioned at a downstream side of the fuel nozzles, respectively, the fuel nozzles injecting the fuel into the premixing passages, the premixing passages mixing the injected fuel and a flow of air guided to fuel injecting ports of the fuel nozzles
Implementation Method 3
supplies the mixed fuel and air to a combustion chamber, and burns the mixed fuel and air therein
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
A gas turbine combustor including a cluster-type burner is adapted to stabilize a combustion state by supplying a desired flow rate of combustion air to inner circumferential and outer circumferential fuel nozzle regions. A burner section of the combustor includes a plurality of fuel nozzles 2 and a premixing plate 4 in which are formed a plurality of premixing passages 3 each positioned at a downstream side of the corresponding one of the fuel nozzles 2, injected fuel from the plurality of fuel nozzles 2 being mixed with air in the premixing passage 3 before being supplied to a combustion chamber and burnt therein. The burner section also includes guide vanes 34, 35, 36 that rectify a flow of air and guide this air flow from an upstream side of the fuel nozzles 2 to fuel injecting ports of the fuel nozzles 2; wherein the guide vanes guide a desired amount of air to the fuel injecting ports of the fuel nozzles and stabilize combustion.