Swept Combustor Liner Panels for Gas Turbine Engines

Solution Overview

Problem

The rectilinear liner panels in gas turbine engine combustors create axial gaps that can lead to hot streak injection, causing localized shell burnback due to the formation of hot streaks along the entire length of the gap.

Innovation Solution

The use of non-perpendicular side edges for the liner panels, forming a parallelogram shape, and sweeping the liner panel gaps with respect to the engine central longitudinal axis, typically between 10-45 degrees, to prevent hot streaks from forming along the entire length of the gaps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If rectilinear liner panels are used to line the combustor shell, then the manufacturing and assembly process is simple, but axial gaps between panels cause hot streak injection leading to localized shell burnback

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing and assembly simplicityVSAvoidhot streak injection and shell burnback

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The liner panels are designed with non-rectilinear geometries, specifically trapezoidal or parallelogram shapes, where the side edges are angled relative to the axial direction. This asymmetric configuration causes the gaps between adjacent panels to be non-axial, thereby preventing the formation of continuous axial hot streak pathways while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard cutting and assembly processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces an angular dimension to the panel gap orientation by sweeping the gaps at angles relative to the axial direction. This dimensional change from purely axial alignment to angled configuration disrupts the hot streak flow path, distributing heat more evenly across the shell surface and preventing localized burnback

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If liner panels are arranged with axial gaps, then assembly is straightforward, but hot streaks form along the entire length of the gap causing localized burnback

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly straightforwardnessVSAvoidresistance to shell burnback

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The liner panels are designed with non-rectilinear geometries, specifically trapezoidal or parallelogram shapes, where the side edges are angled relative to the axial direction. This asymmetric configuration causes the gaps between adjacent panels to be non-axial, thereby preventing the formation of continuous axial hot streak pathways while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard cutting and assembly processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The panel geometry is designed with specific angular characteristics at different edges - the side edges are angled relative to the axial direction while the forward and aft edges maintain proper alignment. This local geometric quality control ensures that gaps are swept at appropriate angles to disrupt hot streaks while maintaining proper panel spacing and assembly characteristics

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10473330B2Swept combustor liner panels for gas turbine engine combustor

Publication Date: 2019.11.12 RTX CORP

AI summary

A liner panel is provided for use in a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The liner panel includes a first liner panel side edge between a liner panel aft edge and a liner panel forward edge. The liner panel also includes a second liner panel side edge between the liner panel aft edge and the liner panel forward edge. The first and the second liner panel side edges are non-perpendicular to the liner panel forward and aft edge edges.