Turbine Combustor Insert Retention via Flared Inlet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing a quench zone geometry for rich burn, quick quench, lean burn (RQL) combustors that effectively reduces NOx emissions and enhances operability remains a challenge, particularly in single-walled combustors where insert installation and retention are complicated by thermal growth differences.
Innovation Solution
A combustor insert with a tubular body and flared inlet portion is installed through an air admission hole, where the shoulder abuts the hot side and the inlet portion is deformed to form a flared shape, securing the insert without welding, allowing it to capture the liner and accommodate thermal growth, ensuring retention and efficient air flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If an insert is installed in a single-walled combustor liner, then the quench zone geometry can be optimized for low NOx emissions, but the insert retention becomes problematic due to thermal growth differences
Solution Approach 1:
The insert is designed with a deformable inlet portion that changes its dimensional parameters during installation. By deforming the inlet portion to have a larger outer diameter than the air admission hole, the insert creates a secure mechanical interference fit that accommodates thermal growth while optimizing quench zone geometry for low NOx emissions
Solution Approach 2:
The inlet portion is pre-deformed before installation to create a flared shape with a larger diameter than the air admission hole. This preliminary deformation enables the insert to be installed without welding or bonding, while the flared shape ensures secure retention by capturing the liner and accommodating thermal growth differences between the insert and liner
2Reliability
If traditional welding or bonding methods are used to secure the insert, then the insert retention is ensured, but the complexity of the installation process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical bonding methods (welding or bonding) with a pure mechanical retention system. The flared inlet portion creates a mechanical interference fit with the air admission hole, and the shoulder abuts against the liner, providing secure retention through mechanical means alone, thereby simplifying the installation process
Solution Approach 2:
The insert structure itself provides its own retention mechanism through the flared inlet portion and shoulder design. The deformable inlet portion is deformed during installation to create a self-retaining interference fit, eliminating the need for external welding or bonding processes
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 enables the RQL combustor to achieve low NOx emissions and increased operability by ensuring precise air flow and fuel mixing, while avoiding the need for additional bonding or welding, thus addressing the installation and retention challenges in single-walled combustors.
Implementation Method 1
deforming the inlet portion such that the inlet portion has an outer diameter greater than a diameter of the air admission hole
Implementation Method 2
The flared inlet portion and shoulder capture the liner to retain the insert relative to the liner without welding or other bonding techniques
Implementation Method 3
Gas turbine engines, such as those used to power modem commercial aircraft, typically include a compressor for pressurizing a supply of air, a combustor for burning fuel in the presence of the pressurized air
Implementation Method 4
By precisely controlling the stoichiometries between the air and fuel in each zone, high-temperature excursions can be reduced and the resulting NOx emissions can be minimized
Data Source
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AI summary
A combustor for a turbine engine is provided. The combustor includes a first liner having a first hot side and a first cold side; a second liner having a second hot side and a second cold side, the second hot side and the first hot side forming a combustion chamber therebetween, the combustion chamber configured to receive an air-fuel mixture for combustion therein; and an insert including a body portion extending through the first liner, a shoulder circumscribing the body portion and abutting the first hot side, and an inlet portion coupled to the body portion and abutting the first cold side such that the inlet portion and the shoulder capture the second liner therebetween to retain the insert.