Involute Trapped Vortex Combustor for Stable Low-Emission Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combustion sections in gas turbine engines face challenges in burning fuels of varying caloric values while reducing emissions and maintaining combustion stability across a wide range of fuel/air ratios, air flow rates, and inlet pressures, while also requiring reduced dimensions.
Innovation Solution
The combustor assembly features a dual-staged toroidally stabilized primary combustion zone with secondary and tertiary fuel injectors, a volute wall defining a combustion chamber, and flow passages that segregate and direct fuel and oxidizer flows to create a trapped vortex, improving combustion efficiency and reducing emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional combustion sections are used, then combustion stability can be maintained under certain conditions, but emissions increase and combustion stability deteriorates across wider ranges of fuel/air ratios, air flow rates, and inlet pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The combustor is divided into multiple functional zones including a primary combustion zone with a trapped vortex, a secondary combustion zone, and a mixing zone. Multiple fuel injectors (primary, secondary, tertiary) are positioned at different locations to provide staged fuel injection. This segmentation allows different regions to optimize for different functions, reducing emissions while maintaining stability across varying operating conditions
Solution Approach 2:
A trapped vortex structure acts as an intermediary mechanism that stabilizes the flame by creating a recirculation zone. The vortex core serves as a stabilization point for the flame, while the rotating flow field enhances mixing between fuel and oxidizer. This intermediary vortex structure enables low emissions while maintaining combustion stability across a wider range of operating conditions
2Volume of moving object
If combustion section dimensions are reduced, then engine size decreases, but combustion stability and emissions control become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The design transitions from a conventional linear combustion chamber to a three-dimensional trapped vortex structure with rotational flow. The vortex creates a toroidal combustion zone that utilizes radial and circumferential flow components in addition to axial flow. This dimensional change allows for more efficient combustion in a compact volume, reducing emissions while maintaining small combustion section dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The combustion zones are nested within each other, with the primary trapped vortex combustion zone containing the flame stabilization region, surrounded by a secondary combustion zone, and further enclosed by the mixing zone. This nested arrangement maximizes the utilization of available volume, enabling effective emissions control in a compact combustor design
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 enhances combustion stability and reduces emissions, such as NOx and smoke, while minimizing the overall dimensions and weight of the gas turbine engine, improving turndown performance and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
dual-staged toroidally stabilized primary combustion zone with secondary and tertiary fuel injectors, a volute wall defining a combustion chamber, and flow passages that segregate and direct fuel and oxidizer flows to create a trapped vortex
Data Source
AI summary
A combustor assembly includes a volute wall extended annularly around a combustor centerline, extended at least partially as a spiral curve from a circumferential reference line around the combustor centerline, and defining a combustion chamber therewithin, an annular inner wall extended at least partially along a lengthwise direction from the volute wall, an annular outer wall extended at least partially along the lengthwise direction from the volute wall, the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall being separated along a radial direction from the combustor centerline, and a primary flow passage being defined between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, and a flow passage wall extending between a portion of the volute wall and a portion of the annular outer wall.