Combustor Wall Cooling With Particle Collection Panel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Dirt, debris, and particulate matter entrained with cooling airflow in gas turbine engines can adversely affect the operational life, efficiency, and performance of combustors by entering the combustion chamber.

Innovation Solution

A combustor design featuring a particle collection panel with raised cooling features that collect and entrap particulate matter from cooling air, reducing its entry into the combustion chamber, and promoting heat transfer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If cooling air is used to cool the combustor, then heat transfer is improved, but particulate matter enters the combustion chamber and reduces operational life and efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustor coolingVSAvoidcombustor operational life

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The combustor cooling system is segmented into multiple functional zones: a particle collection region with impingement surfaces that separate particulate matter from cooling air, and a clean cooling air region that directs filtered air to the combustor wall. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve cooling function and particle removal, resolving the contradiction between heat transfer improvement and reliability maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A particle collection panel with impingement surfaces acts as an intermediary between the cooling air source and the combustor wall. This intermediary component captures particulate matter from the cooling air stream before it reaches the combustion chamber, allowing cooling air to maintain its heat transfer function while preventing particles from reducing operational life.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If cooling air flows directly through the combustor, then cooling efficiency is improved, but dirt and debris adversely affect performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidparticulate deposition

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The particle collection panel performs preliminary action by removing particulate matter from cooling air before the air reaches the combustor wall. The impingement surfaces capture particles in advance, ensuring that only clean cooling air flows through the combustor, thus maintaining high cooling efficiency while preventing harmful deposition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The particle collection panel incorporates porous or permeable structures that allow clean cooling air to pass through while trapping particulate matter. This porous design maintains high cooling efficiency by allowing adequate air flow while effectively removing dirt and debris that would otherwise adversely affect combustor performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Reliability

If a particle collection panel is added, then particulate matter is removed from cooling air, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustor performanceVSAvoidcombustor structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The particle collection panel is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a structural support element, a particle separation surface, and a flow distribution component. By integrating these functions into a single component, the design achieves effective particle removal without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the panel replaces or consolidates with other potential components.

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

The design significantly reduces particulate deposition in the combustion chamber, enhancing combustor operational life, efficiency, and performance by maintaining cleaner cooling air flow.

Implementation Method 1

The plurality of raised cooling features are configured to promote heat transfer

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The plurality of raised cooling features are configured to collect and/or entrap particulate matter from cooling air flowing through the combustor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInertial separation: Cyclone Separation

Data Source

PatentEP4671611A1Gas turbine engine combustor wall dirt mitigation

Publication Date: 2025.12.31 RTX CORP

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B

AI summary

A combustor (56) has a combustor shell (104; 184) defining a plurality of first impingement holes (105), a particle collection panel (120) defining a plurality of second impingement holes (105) and disposed inward of the combustor shell (104; 184), and a combustor panel (110) defining a plurality of effusion holes (107) and disposed inward of the particle collection panel (120). The particle collection panel (120) includes a plurality of raised cooling features (122) disposed on an outward surface of the particle collection panel (120). The plurality of raised cooling features (122) are configured to promote heat transfer and to collect and/or entrap particulate matter from cooling air flowing through the combustor (56) when the combustor (56) is in operation and each of the plurality of raised cooling features (122) extends outward from an outward surface of the particle collection panel (120).