Multi-Fuel Injector Combustor Design for Gas Turbine Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combustor and fuel injector configurations in gas turbine engines face challenges with ground lighting, altitude starting, and excessive formation of non-volatile particulates/smoke during combustion.
Innovation Solution
The fuel injector design includes a primary fuel passage for hydrogen-based fuel, with a primary fuel outlet located downstream of the swirler exit plane and centered on a tip surface, and a secondary fuel passage with outlets upstream of the swirler exit plane, along with a cooling air passage with outlets radially outside the primary fuel outlet, to improve mixing and flame anchoring, reducing particulates and smoke formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fuel injector configurations are used, then the combustor can operate with standard fuel injection, but ground lighting and altitude starting capabilities are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection system is segmented into multiple independent fuel passages (first fuel passage, second fuel passage, third fuel passage) with distinct outlet positions. This segmentation allows each passage to serve specific functions: the first fuel passage with outlet downstream of the swirler exit plane provides reliable ignition and altitude starting, while other passages handle different operational requirements, thereby improving reliability without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel injector is designed with pre-positioned outlets at specific locations relative to the swirler exit plane. The first fuel outlet is positioned downstream of the swirler exit plane to ensure proper fuel-air mixing and flame anchoring before combustion, enabling reliable ground lighting and altitude starting without requiring complex control systems
2Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional fuel injection methods are used, then the combustor structure remains simple, but excessive non-volatile particulates and smoke are formed
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection system divides fuel delivery into multiple separate passages, each with outlets at different positions. This segmentation enables different fuel streams to be injected at optimal locations for complete combustion, reducing particulate and smoke formation through improved mixing and combustion efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Different fuel passages deliver fuel to different local regions within the combustor. The first fuel passage with outlet downstream of the swirler exit plane provides fuel at a location optimized for clean combustion, reducing harmful emissions in that specific zone while maintaining overall combustor functionality
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 ground lighting and altitude starting capabilities while reducing non-volatile particulates and smoke by utilizing hydrogen-based fuel injection downstream of the swirler, anchoring the flame, and cooling the tip surface to prevent thermal stress and acoustic oscillations.
Implementation Method 1
a primary fuel passage configured to direct a hydrogen-based fuel to a primary fuel outlet positioned downstream of the swirler exit plane
Implementation Method 2
The fuel injector may include a cooling air passage configured to direct a cooling air flow across a downstream end of the fuel injector
Implementation Method 3
Swirlers may be disposed downstream of the fuel injectors to provide mixing of the fluids injected by the fuel injectors
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for operating a fuel injector (74) of a gas turbine engine includes injecting a hydrogen-based primary fuel from a primary fuel passage (96) of the fuel injector directly into a combustion chamber (56). The primary fuel passage includes a primary fuel outlet (98) located within the combustion chamber. The method further includes injecting a second fuel, different than the hydrogen-based primary fuel, from a secondary fuel passage (100) of the fuel injector into a hood chamber (70) separated from the combustion chamber by a bulkhead (60). The secondary fuel passage includes a plurality of secondary fuel outlets (104) located within the hood chamber.