Gas Turbine Fuel Nozzle for Consistent Flame Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engines using traditional hydrocarbon fuels emit environmentally unwanted byproducts such as NOx, CO, UHC, and oxides of sulfur, which are not effectively reduced by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
The use of a fuel nozzle design in a gas turbine engine that includes a nozzle tube with a larger inner diameter than the manifold tubes, and a distribution manifold that connects to multiple combustor cups, ensuring consistent flame distribution and reduced air movement around the nozzle tubes, thereby thermally insulating the fuel nozzle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If hydrogen or hydrogen mixed fuel is used, then flame temperature and burning velocity increase, but environmentally unwanted byproducts such as NOx, CO, and UHC are not effectively reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating distinct zones within the combustion chamber with different oxygen concentrations. The distributed fuel injection system creates multiple localized combustion zones where fuel burns in controlled oxygen environments, preventing the formation of NOx in high-temperature regions while ensuring complete combustion to reduce CO and UHC.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel injection system is segmented into multiple nozzles distributed across the combustion chamber, creating separate combustion zones. This segmentation allows each zone to operate under optimized conditions for reducing specific pollutants while maintaining overall combustion efficiency and high burning velocity.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If traditional hydrocarbon fuels are used, then combustion is relatively clean, but environmentally unwanted byproducts such as NOx, CO, UHC, and oxides of sulfur are emitted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameter of the fuel from traditional hydrocarbons to hydrogen or hydrogen-mixed fuels. This fundamental parameter change alters the combustion chemistry to eliminate sulfur oxide emissions and reduce carbon-based pollutants, while the distributed injection system manages the resulting high burning velocity and temperature control.
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 design reduces the number of casing holes, maintains the strength of the casing, and provides consistent flame distribution, while thermally insulating the fuel nozzle to limit fuel temperature increases, thus addressing the environmental concerns associated with traditional fuel combustion.
Implementation Method 1
thermally insulating the fuel nozzle to limit fuel temperature increases
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine comprises a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in a serial flow arrangement and enshrouded by a casing, the combustion section comprising: an annular combustion chamber defined by at least a dome wall and an annular liner; a plurality of combustor cups circumferentially arranged on the dome wall; a fuel supply connected to the casing; and a fuel nozzle passing through the casing and having a nozzle tube and a distribution manifold fluidly coupling the nozzle tube to at least two combustor cups of the plurality of combustor cups; wherein the fuel nozzle is fixed to the at least two combustor cups.