Fuel Fairing Heat Exchange for Gas Turbine Coking Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine internal fuel manifolds are prone to coking due to high temperatures, which can block nozzles and impair combustion.
Innovation Solution
A fuel fairing is used to direct fuel flow through a heat exchanging structure on its outer surface, exposed to cool bypass airflow, cooling the fuel below its coking temperature before it reaches the internal fuel manifold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If fuel is supplied directly to the internal fuel manifold in the hot environment, then the fuel manifold can be简单地 positioned inside the engine case adjacent the combustor, but the fuel may solidify into coke and block the nozzles
Solution Approach 1:
A fuel fairing is introduced as an intermediary component between the fuel source and the internal fuel manifold. The fairing acts as a protective conduit that shields the fuel from high temperatures while allowing the fuel manifold to remain in its simple internal position adjacent to the combustor.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel delivery system is segmented into distinct functional zones: a cool external region for the fuel fairing and a hot internal region for the fuel manifold. This segmentation allows each component to operate in its optimal temperature environment, preventing coking while maintaining simple manifold positioning.
2Temperature
If the fuel fairing is exposed to cool bypass airflow, then the fuel can be cooled below coking temperature, but the heat exchange surface area must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel fairing transitions from a simple linear fuel line to a three-dimensional structure with external surfaces exposed to bypass airflow. By utilizing the external surface area of the fairing as a heat exchange interface, the system efficiently cools the fuel without requiring additional components or excessive surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel fairing utilizes the engine's existing bypass airflow to cool the fuel, rather than requiring a separate cooling system. The fairing's external surface automatically exchanges heat with the passing bypass air, providing passive cooling that maintains fuel temperature below the coking point.
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
Prevents coking by maintaining the fuel temperature below the coking point, thereby ensuring uninterrupted fuel flow and stable combustion in the gas turbine engine.
Implementation Method 1
directing the fuel flow in the fuel fairing through a heat exchanging structure on the outer surface of the fuel fairing to cool the fuel flow below a coking temperature of the fuel
Implementation Method 2
the fuel fairing having an outer surface exposed to cool bypass airflow
Data Source
AI summary
The described method of supplying fuel to an internal fuel manifold of a bypass gas turbine engine includes directing a fuel flow through a fuel fairing having an outer surface exposed to a cool bypass airflow, directing the fuel flow in the fuel fairing through a heat exchanging structure on the outer surface of the fuel fairing to cool the fuel flow being below a coking temperature of the fuel, and then feeding the cooled fuel flow from the fuel fairing to the internal fuel manifold.