Gas Turbine Combustor Injection Head with Nested Fuel Plenum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine combustor injection heads face complexity and cost issues due to the need for multiple connections and compensators to manage vibrations and thermal expansion, while also lacking compactness and aerodynamic efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a fuel plenum assembly with a secondary fuel plenum enclosed within the primary, featuring a single connection point for fuel distribution, streamlined injector fingers, and a concentric structure with shielding air to reduce mechanical stress and enhance aerodynamics, allowing for a compact and simplified structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple connections and compensators are used to manage vibrations and thermal expansion, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple delivery pipes into a single common delivery pipe that serves all injector fingers. This merging eliminates the need for multiple individual connections and compensators, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability through the unified structure's ability to handle vibrations and thermal expansion collectively
Solution Approach 2:
The common delivery pipe serves multiple functions: it distributes fuel to all injector fingers, accommodates thermal expansion for the entire assembly, and dampens vibrations affecting multiple injectors. This multi-functionality replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate components
2Manufacturing precision
If distributor rings extend around the burner, then fuel distribution is improved, but the structure becomes less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent nests the fuel plenum assembly within the common delivery pipe structure, and positions injector fingers radially outward from this compact core. This nested arrangement achieves uniform fuel distribution to all injectors while minimizing the overall volume of the injection head, creating a compact design
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 design simplifies the manufacturing process, reduces costs, and improves aerodynamic efficiency by providing effective shielding and accommodating thermal expansion, resulting in a more compact and functional injection head.
Implementation Method 1
compensators are required at the outer end of each delivery pipe to damp vibrations and to accommodate stress caused by thermal expansion
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a~5b
AI summary
An injection unit for a gas turbine combustor includes an injection head (15) extending about a central axis (A) and an injection manifold (14) coupled to the injection head (15). The injection head (15) includes: a fuel plenum assembly (22) extending about the central axis (A) and including a primary fuel plenum (24); a plurality of injector fingers (19, 20) extending radially outward from the fuel plenum assembly (22) and each provided with at least a respective fuel nozzle (30); a fuel inlet (27, 28), fluidly coupled to the fuel plenum assembly (22); and a cooling air housing, at least partly enclosing the fuel plenum assembly (22) and defining a cooling air plenum (21). Each fuel nozzle (30) has a respective primary fuel line (31) fluidly coupled to the primary fuel plenum (24; 224) and a respective shielding air line (33) fluidly coupled to the cooling air plenum (21).