Integrated Combustor Vane for NOx Reduction in Gas Turbines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines face challenges in minimizing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, particularly due to high combustion flame temperatures during rich burn, quick quench, lean burn (RQL) combustion, which can lead to excessive NOx production and require a combustor design that balances stability and length while managing temperature profiles.
Innovation Solution
The combustor section incorporates a combustor vane positioned between outer and inner liner panels, featuring a convergent-divergent section with dilution passages and holes within tailored depressions, utilizing refractory metal core materials and swirlers for enhanced mixing and cooling, reducing NOx emissions by modulating the fuel-air ratio and flame temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the combustor is designed with traditional dilution cooling jets to reduce NOx emissions, then NOx emissions are minimized, but the combustor length increases significantly resulting in excessive weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the combustor vane and dilution cooling function into a single integrated component. The vane itself serves as the cooling structure with dilution passages formed within its body, eliminating the need for separate cooling jets and reducing the number of parts while achieving both combustion stability and NOx reduction
Solution Approach 2:
The combustor vane performs multiple functions simultaneously: it directs combustion gases, provides structural support, and delivers dilution cooling through integrated passages. This multi-functionality reduces the overall combustor length and weight while maintaining effective NOx control
2Object-generated harmful factors
If strong dilution jets are used to decrease residence time and reduce NOx, then NOx emissions are reduced, but the jets create quasi-one-dimensional momentum resulting in circumferential temperature peaks that expose the turbine to excessive temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The dilution passages are strategically positioned and sized within the vane structure to deliver cooling at specific locations where it is most needed. The passages are distributed to ensure uniform cooling across the combustion chamber cross-section, preventing localized hot spots while maintaining overall temperature control
Solution Approach 2:
The combustor vane acts as an intermediary structure that distributes dilution air uniformly across the combustion chamber. Instead of allowing direct strong jets to create momentum peaks, the vane's passages moderate the flow distribution, achieving cooling without creating harmful temperature non-uniformities
3Weight of stationary object
If the combustor length is reduced to decrease weight, then weight is reduced, but the residence time decreases leading to incomplete combustion and reduced stability
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated vane design ensures continuous and uniform distribution of dilution cooling throughout the combustion chamber. This continuous action maintains stable combustion conditions and complete fuel burnout in a more compact space, achieving both weight reduction and combustion stability
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 design effectively minimizes NOx emissions by stabilizing the combustion zone, reducing residence time, and controlling exit temperature profiles, thereby improving engine efficiency and reducing weight while maintaining performance.
Implementation Method 1
The pressurized air mixes with the combustion products to support further combustion of the fuel with air by progressively deriching the fuel rich combustion products as they flow axially through the quench zone
Implementation Method 2
jets of pressurized air radially enter through combustion air holes into the quench zone of the combustion chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5A
AI summary
A combustor section for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor vane which extends at least partially into a combustion chamber.