Combustor Panel Dovetail Mounting to Eliminate Stud Hot Spots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current combustor panels in gas turbine engines experience localized hot spots and distress due to mounting studs, leading to unscheduled engine removals, which hinder efficient operation at increased temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The use of dovetail attachments to secure combustor panels to the outer skin of a combustion chamber, eliminating the need for mounting studs and reducing hot spots, while allowing for fluid flow paths and active cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mounting studs are used to attach combustor panels, then the panels can be securely mounted to the outer shell, but localized hot spots and distress occur leading to unscheduled engine removals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mounting studs entirely from the combustor panel attachment system. Instead of using studs that penetrate the panel and create localized stress concentrations and hot spots, the invention uses a dovetail interface that distributes thermal and mechanical loads across the entire panel edge, eliminating the harmful localized effects while maintaining secure attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system is divided into distinct dovetail interface sections with male and female portions that interlock. This segmentation allows for controlled thermal expansion and contraction while maintaining a secure mechanical connection without the need for penetrating fasteners that cause hot spots
2Reliability
If mounting studs are used to secure combustor panels, then the panels can be attached to the outer shell, but dirt collection around the studs causes distress requiring unscheduled engine removals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mounting studs from the design, removing the crevices and gaps where dirt and contaminants would accumulate. The dovetail interface creates a smooth, continuous surface that prevents dirt collection, eliminating the need for unscheduled engine removals for cleaning or maintenance
3Temperature
If combustor panels are used to insulate components from high temperatures, then components outside the combustion chamber are protected, but mounting studs create localized hot spots that limit operation at increased temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
By removing mounting studs, the patent eliminates the localized hot spots they create. The dovetail interface distributes thermal loads uniformly across the panel, allowing the engine to operate at higher temperatures without the adverse effects of localized overheating at stud locations
Solution Approach 2:
The dovetail interface creates a localized thermal barrier at the panel attachment region, with the male and female dovetail portions forming an insulated joint that prevents heat concentration. This local quality improvement allows the surrounding areas to operate at higher temperatures without creating hot spots
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas turbine engine combustor panel assembly (110) includes a shell (112) defining an outer periphery of a combustion chamber (114). The shell (112) has an outer skin (116) with a first plurality of holes (118) and a combustor panel (120), which includes a first end (122) including a second plurality of holes (124) on an inner face (126), which extend through the inner face (126) to an outer face (128) and are configured to allow fluid flow from the first plurality of holes (124) to the combustion chamber (114). The combustor panel (120) further includes a second end (132) comprising a dovetail interface section (134) extending axially from a central axis and from a panel wall (136) of the combustor panel (120). The assembly (110) further includes a plurality of dovetail tail connectors (138) configured to extend along a central axis and interface with the second end (132) of the combustor panel (120) to connect the combustor panel (120) to the shell (112).