Swirler Fuel Injector Insert Adaptability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel injection systems in gas turbines are suboptimal due to structural fixation, which limits their performance when fuel or air throughput changes, making them inefficient for varying conditions.
Innovation Solution
A rotationally symmetrical fuel injector insert with a geometry that breaks rotational symmetry, allowing it to be accommodated in different orientations within the swirl generator segments, enabling adaptable fuel injection by varying the arrangement and type of inserts to match changing fuel properties and air flow rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If fuel outlets are structurally fixed in the swirl generator, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the mixing performance deteriorates when fuel properties or air throughput change
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection system is made dynamically adjustable through interchangeable fuel injector inserts. Each insert can be removed and replaced with another insert having different fuel outlet configurations, allowing the system to adapt to varying fuel properties and air throughput conditions while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel injection system is segmented into modular fuel injector inserts that can be independently exchanged. Each insert represents a discrete functional unit with specific fuel outlet characteristics, enabling flexible reconfiguration of the injection system without redesigning the entire swirl generator
2Adaptability or versatility
If fuel injector inserts are made rotationally symmetrical with broken symmetry geometry, then adaptability to different orientations is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injector inserts employ asymmetric geometry features (such as non-circular cross-sections or specific orientation-marking elements) that break rotational symmetry. This allows the inserts to be accommodated in predetermined orientations within the swirl generator segments, providing adaptability to different installation configurations while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity through standardized asymmetric designs
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 solution allows for improved fuel-air mixing by optimizing fuel injection direction and distribution, enhancing mixing efficiency across different operational conditions of the gas turbine.
Implementation Method 1
The fuel injector insert has a geometry that breaks rotational symmetry, so that the fuel injector insert can be accommodated in one or more predetermined orientations in the swirl generator segment
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3B
AI summary
The twist generator has multiple twist generator segments (1.1,1.2,1.3) between which channels (K) for supplying of twist afflicted air to a combustion chamber of the gas turbine. A fuel injection insert (2) is provided for injecting fuel in the channels to pre-mix air and fuel. The fuel injection in a channel is predetermined by the arrangement of a fuel injection insert in twist generator segments. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a fuel injection insert with an insert body; (2) a twist generator segment with a triangular cross-section; and (3) a method for injecting fuel in a gas turbine.