Trapped Dual Vortex Combustor for Flame Stabilization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Advanced aircraft gas turbine engine combustors require improved flame stabilization and propagation to enhance performance, efficiency, reduce NOx and CO emissions, and operate effectively over wider ranges with lower exhaust pollutant emissions.
Innovation Solution
A gas turbine engine combustor design featuring a trapped dual vortex cavity with strategically positioned air and fuel injection holes, angled film cooling apertures, and slots to promote counter-rotating vortices and efficient fuel-air mixing, utilizing a dome inlet module with outer and inner liners for improved combustion efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional combustor design is used, then the structure is simpler, but flame stabilization and propagation are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The combustor is divided into multiple functional zones with distinct features: a primary combustion zone with trapped vortex cavities for flame stabilization, and a secondary combustion zone for complete combustion. The liner is segmented into inner and outer liners with separate cavity structures, allowing independent optimization of each zone's combustion characteristics while maintaining overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner liner is nested within the outer liner, with each liner containing its own trapped vortex cavity structure. The inner cavity is positioned within the outer cavity, creating a nested configuration that allows dual-vortex systems to be integrated without significantly increasing external dimensions, thus improving flame stabilization while controlling overall complexity.
2Productivity
If a longer combustor is used, then more mixing time is available, but the engine operates at higher inlet air flows requiring shorter length
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the combustor length to provide more mixing time, the design utilizes the radial dimension by creating trapped vortex cavities within the liner structure. The dual-vortex system generates intense mixing in the radial direction, achieving high combustion efficiency within a compact axial length suitable for high-speed inlet air flows.
Solution Approach 2:
The design changes the flow parameters by creating trapped vortices with specific rotational characteristics. The dual counter-rotating vortices generate intense turbulence and mixing rates, transforming the combustion process to achieve high productivity within reduced length constraints imposed by high inlet air flow velocities.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional fuel injection is used, then the system is simpler, but emissions of NOx and CO are higher
Solution Approach 1:
Fuel is injected into the trapped vortex cavities before the main combustion process begins. The dual-vortex system pre-mixes fuel and air thoroughly in a controlled environment, ensuring complete combustion when the flame front propagates. This preliminary mixing action reduces NOx and CO emissions while maintaining a relatively simple injection system architecture.
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
The design achieves better flame stabilization, improved performance characteristics, reduced emissions, and enhanced efficiency by creating and sustaining dual counter-rotating vortices within the combustor, optimizing fuel-air mixing and combustion processes.
Implementation Method 1
A gas turbine engine combustor having at least one trapped vortex cavity and, more particularly, to a combustor having cavity with dual counter-rotating vortices
Implementation Method 2
Fuel is injected into the trapped vortex cavities through a portion of the liner forming an aft wall of such cavity
Implementation Method 3
First angled film cooling apertures are disposed through the bottom wall and angled away from the forward wall
Data Source
AI summary
A gas turbine engine combuslor has a trapped dual vortex cavity defined between aft, forward, and bottom walls. Air injection first holes are positioned in the forward wall. Air injection second holes are positioned in the aft walls. Fuel injection holes in the forward wall are located between the bottom wall and a cavity opening located at a top of the cavity. First angled film cooling apertures are disposed through the bottom wall. Second angled film cooling apertures are located in the forward wall between the fuel injection holes and the bottom wall. Third angled film cooling apertures are located in the forward wall between the fuel injection holes and the cavity opening.