Injector Gasket Housing Geometry to Prevent Seal Escape
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Solution Overview
Problem
The gasket in fuel injectors for turbomachines tends to escape from its housing, leading to blockages and requiring frequent maintenance, as it is not effectively retained within the annular rim, causing issues with fuel supply to the combustion chamber.
Innovation Solution
The design includes an inclined housing for the gasket, with an evacuation pipe to prevent gasket displacement, and a trapezoidal form in the longitudinal cross-section to securely hold the gasket, reducing the likelihood of blockages by facilitating fluid evacuation and maintaining the gasket in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gasket is retained in a simple housing within the annular rim, then the device complexity is reduced, but the gasket escapes from the housing causing blockages and maintenance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The housing transitions from a simple cylindrical form to a conical form by adding an angular dimension to the walls. This dimensional change creates a self-retaining structure where the inclined walls prevent gasket escape in the radial direction, solving the retention problem while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing introduces asymmetry through its conical shape with inclined walls at specific angles (15-25 degrees). This asymmetric geometry creates directional retention forces that prevent gasket escape while allowing controlled fluid evacuation, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and reliable retention.
2Reliability
If the housing walls are inclined at steep angles to prevent gasket escape, then the gasket retention is improved, but the fluid evacuation capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wall inclination angle is optimized to a specific range (15-25 degrees) that balances two competing requirements: steep enough to prevent gasket escape radially, but shallow enough to allow axial fluid evacuation. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between retention and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing functionality is segmented into two distinct zones: the inclined walls provide radial retention for the gasket, while the separate evacuation pipe provides axial fluid evacuation. This functional segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific role without compromising the other.
3Productivity
If the evacuation pipe is made large to improve fluid evacuation, then the productivity is improved, but the housing structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The evacuation pipe serves multiple functions: it evacuates fluid axially, provides structural support, and integrates with the existing housing geometry. This multi-functionality allows effective fluid evacuation without adding significant structural complexity or requiring separate dedicated components.
Data Source
AI summary
An inlet body is for a fluid injector for a turbomachine. The inlet body includes a casing and an inlet nozzle, housed inside the casing, that serves as a seat for a mobile sealing member. The inlet nozzle includes a central duct for the fluid and an annular rim surrounding the central duct. The annular rim includes a housing for a gasket. The housing is defined by a bottom wall, an opening opposite the bottom wall, and two opposite walls which each extend between the bottom wall and the opening. The walls are tilted towards each other in the direction of the opening.