Integral Flow Rate Limiter and Fuel Injector for Gas Turbine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel injection systems in turbomachines face challenges in optimizing the placement of fuel flow rate limiters relative to injectors, leading to suboptimal fuel spraying into the combustion chamber due to complex three-dimensional conformation and manufacturing tolerances.
Innovation Solution
Integration of the fuel flow rate limiter and injector into a single piece, manufactured via additive manufacturing such as laser powder fusion, with a series arrangement of interconnected chambers and reduced cross-sectional portions to enhance accuracy and alignment, allowing for improved fuel metering and spraying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the fuel flow rate limiter and fuel injector are manufactured separately due to their complex three-dimensional conformation, then the manufacturing process becomes simpler for each individual component, but the placement accuracy and alignment between the limiter and injector deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fuel flow rate limiter and fuel injector into a single integrated component manufactured as one piece. This consolidation eliminates the alignment issues between separate components while maintaining manufacturability through additive manufacturing processes, directly resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and placement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated component performs multiple functions simultaneously - it acts as both the flow rate limiter and the fuel injector. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components and their associated alignment problems, while the additive manufacturing process enables complex geometries that would be difficult to achieve with traditional manufacturing of multiple separate parts.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional manufacturing methods are used for the fuel injector, then the production process is more established and easier to control, but the manufacturing precision of isolated orifices deteriorates due to statistical dispersion effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical manufacturing methods with additive manufacturing (selective laser melting). This substitution enables precise control of orifice dimensions through digital modeling, eliminating the statistical dispersion effects inherent in mechanical machining. The additive process builds precise geometries layer by layer, providing better control over orifice tolerances while maintaining ease of manufacture through computer-controlled deposition.
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 configuration ensures optimal placement and accuracy of fuel injection, resulting in enhanced combustion efficiency within the flame tube by averaging manufacturing defects and maintaining the same production tooling for both components.
Implementation Method 1
manufactured by additive manufacturing which may be of the laser powder fusion type
Data Source
AI summary
A combustion assembly for a gas turbine includes a flame tube and a fuel supply including a flow rate limiter supplying an injector. The flow rate limiter and the fuel injector are formed in one piece.