Impingement Cooled Venturi Resonator for Combustor Dynamics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vortex shedding at the venturi dump in gas turbine engine combustors interacts with the flame, causing screech tones and dynamics, which are not effectively mitigated by traditional turbulator cooling methods.
Innovation Solution
A venturi assembly with a V-shaped throat region and axially extending portion, featuring impingement cooling holes to establish radially outer and inner coolant flow paths, which impinge cooling air onto the innermost wall of the aft extending portion, replacing turbulators to reduce vortex shedding and enhance cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If turbulators are used for cooling the venturi, then cooling capability is improved, but vortex shedding occurs causing screech tones and dynamics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the turbulators from the venturi assembly, extracting the harmful vortex-generating elements while maintaining cooling capability through alternative means (impingement cooling holes in the venturi walls), thus eliminating screech tones while preserving thermal management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical turbulator structure with a different cooling mechanism using impingement cooling holes that direct coolant jets onto the venturi walls, substituting a mechanical vortex-generating system with a controlled fluid impingement system that does not produce harmful vortices
2Temperature
If impingement cooling is used in the throat region, then cooling efficiency is improved, but complexity of cooling system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the venturi into distinct regions (throat region and aft region) with different cooling approaches - impingement cooling holes in the throat region and potentially different cooling in the aft region, allowing optimized cooling efficiency in each zone while managing overall system complexity through regional specialization
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 screech-tone venturi dynamics and improves cooling efficiency by eliminating turbulators and utilizing impingement cooling, thereby stabilizing the combustion process.
Implementation Method 1
a first plurality of impingement cooling holes in the throat region to supply cooling air to the first radially outer coolant flow path and a second plurality of impingement cooling holes in the aft, axially-extending portion to supply cooling air from the first radially outer coolant flow path to the second radially inner coolant flow path
Implementation Method 2
flowing cooling air into the first radially outer coolant flow path through the first plurality of impingement cooling holes, and then into the second radially inner coolant flow path through the second plurality of impingement cooling holes to thereby impingement cool a radially innermost wall
Data Source
AI summary
A venturi assembly for a turbine combustor includes a first outer annular wall and a second intermediate annular wall radially spaced from each other in substantially concentric relationship. The first outer annular wall and said second intermediate annular wall shaped to define a forward, substantially V-shaped throat region, and an aft, axially extending portion. A third radially innermost annular wall is connected to the second intermediate annular wall at an aft end of said throat region. A first plurality of apertures is provided in the first outer annular wall in the substantially V-shaped throat region, and a second plurality of apertures is provided in the aft, axially extending portion of said second intermediate annular wall so that cooling air flows through the first and second pluralities of apertures to impingement cool the third radially innermost annular wall.