Fuel Nozzle Flange Segmented Lands Reduce Heat Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine fuel nozzles face durability issues due to high temperatures, leading to fuel leakages and internal blockages, as heat is transferred from the engine case to the nozzles, posing a challenge for engine designers.
Innovation Solution
A fuel nozzle structure with a flange that includes spaced-out contacting lands and mounting holes to reduce heat transfer by minimizing the contact area between the nozzle flange and the engine case, using a support structure with an aperture and annular seal to maintain a pressure differential and prevent fluid leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fuel nozzle is mounted directly to the hot engine case to ensure secure installation, then the mounting reliability is improved, but heat transfer from the engine case to the fuel nozzle increases causing fuel leakages and internal blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The flange mounting surface is segmented into multiple discrete contacting lands spaced apart from each other, rather than providing a continuous contact surface. This segmentation reduces the total contact area between the flange and engine case, thereby reducing heat transfer while maintaining secure mounting through the distributed contact points
Solution Approach 2:
The contacting lands are designed with specific local characteristics - they are spaced apart to create thermal breaks while maintaining sufficient contact for mechanical support. This local quality variation allows different regions of the flange to serve different functions: some areas provide thermal isolation while others provide structural support
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the contact area between the flange and engine case is reduced to minimize heat transfer, then heat transfer is reduced, but the mounting stability and secure abutment may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The flange includes multiple contacting lands spaced apart around its circumference, creating multiple discrete contact points with the engine case. This segmentation distributes the mounting load across several locations, maintaining mounting stability while reducing the total contact area and associated heat transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The contacting lands are positioned at different angular locations around the flange circumference, utilizing the circumferential dimension to distribute contact points. This spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions allows the structure to maintain stability through distributed support while minimizing thermal contact area
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 solution effectively reduces heat transfer to the fuel nozzle, enhancing its durability and preventing fuel leakages and internal blockages, thereby improving the overall performance and safety of gas turbine engines.
Implementation Method 1
means for spacing between the flange and the mounting surface to reduce heat transfer from the support structure to the fuel nozzle during engine operation
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine comprises a nozzle body defining a passage extending therethrough and a flange around the nozzle body extending radially and outwardly from the nozzle body. The flange defines a mounting face thereof and a plurality of mounting holes in the mounting face extending through the flange. The mounting face includes a contacting land protruding from the mounting face for abutting a mounting surface of a support structure of the engine when the fuel nozzle is mounted to the support structure.