Integral Guide Vane Combustor for Gas Turbine Engine
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel swirl nozzles and combustor designs in gas turbine engines face inefficiencies in fuel-air mixing and combustion distribution, leading to suboptimal thermal efficiency and emissions, particularly due to complex geometries and multiple components requiring precise tolerances.
Innovation Solution
The integration of an integral guide vane combustor assembly with radially extending guide vane combustors and a fuel swirl nozzle design featuring a dual swirler configuration with additive layer manufacturing, optimized geometries, and streamlined components to enhance fuel-air mixing and reduce weight, while using additive layer manufacturing and brazing for compactness and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If conventional separate nozzle guide vane and combustor assembly arrangements are used, then the components can be manufactured and assembled, but the axial length increases making the gas turbine engine heavier and more difficult to integrate
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vane and combustor body are merged into a single integrally formed component, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of these parts. This reduces the axial length of the combustor assembly and simplifies the overall structure while maintaining the functional separation of the guide vane portion and combustor body portion through integral design
2Ease of operation
If complex geometries and multiple components are used in fuel swirl nozzles, then functional requirements can be met, but manufacturing precision requirements increase and assembly becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The outer air swirler, inner air swirler, and fuel stem are integrated into a single fuel swirl nozzle component, eliminating multiple assembly interfaces and reducing tolerance accumulation. This integral design maintains the complex flow control functions while simplifying manufacturing and quality control
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel swirl nozzle is designed with functionally segmented regions (outer air swirler, inner air swirler, fuel stem) that are integrally formed, allowing each region to perform its specific function while being manufactured as a unified component with consistent material properties and reduced assembly requirements
3Reliability
If multiple separate components are used in the combustor assembly, then functional requirements can be met, but the device complexity increases and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide vane combustors are integrally formed as a single assembly with the combustor body, reducing the total number of components and assembly steps. This integral design maintains reliable combustion performance while simplifying the device structure and reducing weight
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 improves combustion efficiency by ensuring uniform fuel-air mixing and reduced weight, leading to enhanced thermal efficiency and reduced emissions, with simplified assembly and maintenance due to fewer components and streamlined geometries.
Implementation Method 1
The guide vane portion provides a flow straightening function to a gas flow exiting the compressor assembly such that this gas flow is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the engine
Implementation Method 2
fuel swirl nozzles as part of a combustion apparatus in a gas turbine engine
Implementation Method 3
The combustion apparatus instigates and facilitates combustion of fuel with relatively high-pressure air received from a compressor stage of the gas turbine engine and thereby adds thermal energy to the relatively high-pressure air
Data Source
AI summary
An integral guide vane combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine comprises an annular array of radially extending guide vane combustors. The gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a compressor assembly, the integral guide vane combustor assembly, a turbine assembly, and an exhaust assembly. Each of the guide vane combustors comprises, in axial flow sequence, a guide vane portion, and a combustor body portion. The guide vane portion is formed integrally with the combustor body portion, and the guide vane portion is configured to direct a gas flow exiting the compressor assembly into the combustor body portion.