Gas Turbine Combustor External Oil Fuel Chamber Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing gas turbine combustor designs with complex star-shaped oil chambers and pneumatic heat insulating layers are costly due to complicated machining and welding requirements, and they face issues with oil fuel coking at high temperatures.

Innovation Solution

A gas turbine combustor with oil fuel paths penetrating the nozzle pipe base, interconnected by polygonal-shaped connection piping outside the base, forming an oil chamber with multiple apices to prevent oil fuel accumulation and coking, and using upright piping to distribute oil fuel efficiently while minimizing temperature influence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a star-shaped oil chamber is provided inside the nozzle pipe base with a pneumatic heat insulating layer, then oil fuel accumulation is prevented, but the design becomes complicated requiring high-cost machining and welding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of oil fuel accumulation and cokingVSAvoidcomplexity of oil chamber structure and machining
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the oil chamber from the interior of the nozzle pipe base and relocates it to the exterior. The oil fuel supply path penetrates through the nozzle pipe base to connect with the external oil chamber, separating the high-temperature combustion zone from the oil fuel storage zone. This eliminates the need for complex internal machining and heat insulating layers while preventing oil fuel accumulation through the same pneumatic purge mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the spatial arrangement by moving the oil chamber from a three-dimensional internal star-shaped structure to a two-dimensional external polygonal structure formed by connection piping. The oil chamber is constructed using multiple apical portions at vertices of a polygon, utilizing the external space around the nozzle pipe base rather than consuming internal volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Power

If the nozzle pipe base is exposed to high temperature combustion air, then combustion efficiency is maintained, but oil fuel may coke and clog the system

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidcoking of oil fuel due to high temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the oil fuel supply path and oil chamber from the high-temperature zone inside the nozzle pipe base. By routing the oil fuel supply path through the nozzle pipe base rather than within it, and placing the oil chamber externally, the system maintains combustion efficiency while protecting the oil fuel supply system from thermal coking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If multiple main nozzles are annularly supported on the nozzle pipe base, then fuel distribution is achieved, but the oil fuel supply system becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel distribution capabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of oil fuel supply system
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal external oil chamber structure that serves all multiple main nozzles simultaneously. The polygonal connection piping system with multiple apical portions provides a common oil fuel supply and purge mechanism for all nozzles, eliminating the need for separate complex internal oil chambers for each nozzle while maintaining effective fuel distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 configuration reduces costs by simplifying the design, prevents oil fuel from remaining and coking, and enhances maintainability by distributing forces and avoiding temperature influences, allowing for efficient fuel distribution and purge mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

one of the plurality of apical portions 61a is located at the lowermost position, no matter which position the combustor 51 is located at. Thus, even when the supply of oil fuel is stopped, oil fuel accumulates in the lowermost apical portion 61a

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2182195B1Gas turbine combustor
Publication Date: 2016.02.17 MITSUBISHI HITACHIPOWER SYST LTD
  • EP2182195B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2182195B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2182195B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

An object is to provide a low cost gas turbine combustor. The gas turbine combustor has a plurality of main nozzles annularly supported on a nozzle pipe base (11), and the main nozzles each have an oil fuel path for supplying oil fuel and a gas fuel path for supplying gas fuel. A plurality of the oil fuel paths are provided to penetrate the nozzle pipe base (11), and a plurality of lengths of upright piping (21) are provided to be connected to the oil fuel paths, respectively, and be erected on the nozzle pipe base (11). A plurality of lengths of connection piping (22) for interconnecting the lengths of the upright piping (21) in a polygonal shape at a minimum distance are provided outside the nozzle pipe base (11). An oil fuel supply section (14) is connected to one of the lengths of the connection piping (22) to distribute oil fuel to each of the oil fuel paths.