Turbine Flow Conditioner Conduits for Uniform Air Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
In gas turbine engines, uneven air flow distribution among fuel nozzles leads to inconsistent fuel-air mixing, reducing performance and increasing emissions due to geometric constraints within the turbine combustor.
Innovation Solution
An air flow conditioning system comprising a plurality of conduits with varying cross-sectional areas, which reduce the size of recirculation zones and pressure drop, ensuring uniform air distribution to fuel nozzles through an annular passage and air chamber, improving the fuel-air mixture ratio and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional air intake geometry is used in the turbine combustor, then the structure is simple, but the air flow distribution among fuel nozzles is uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The air chamber is divided into multiple separate conduits (e.g., first conduit, second conduit, third conduit) that individually deliver air to different fuel nozzles. Each conduit can be independently designed and adjusted to optimize air flow distribution, allowing precise control over the air-fuel mixture ratio for each nozzle while maintaining overall system manageability
Solution Approach 2:
Each conduit is equipped with adjustable flow control elements (such as adjustable orifices or flow restrictors) that allow local adjustment of air flow characteristics. This enables tailoring the air flow to each specific nozzle's requirements, achieving uniform distribution across all nozzles without requiring complete redesign of the entire combustor structure
2Manufacturing precision
If air flow rate is increased to improve mixing, then fuel-air mixing improves, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs adjustable flow control elements within each conduit that can dynamically modify air flow parameters (flow rate, velocity, pressure). By optimizing these parameters for each conduit, the system achieves adequate fuel-air mixing quality while minimizing unnecessary pressure drop, allowing operation at lower overall pressure drops compared to conventional fixed-geometry systems
Solution Approach 2:
The flow control elements are designed to be adjustable, enabling dynamic optimization of air flow characteristics. This allows the system to adapt flow rates and pressures to match actual combustion requirements, avoiding excessive pressure drops while maintaining adequate mixing quality under varying operating conditions
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 system enhances the uniformity of air flow to fuel nozzles, leading to improved engine performance and reduced emissions by ensuring a balanced air-fuel mixture, while minimizing pressure drop across the flow conditioner.
Implementation Method 1
each conduit has a first portion having a first cross-sectional area and a second portion having a second cross-sectional area, the first cross-sectional area being smaller than the second cross-sectional area so as to reduce the size of a recirculation zone of the pressurized air in the air chamber
Implementation Method 2
a cross-sectional area of each conduit varies between the inlet and the outlet so as to reduce a pressure drop across the flow conditioner
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine combustor section has a flow conditioner including a plurality of conduits arranged to convey pressurized air to an air chamber for entrance into a plurality of fuel nozzles. Each conduit includes an inlet configured to receive the pressurized air from an annular passage and an outlet configured to deliver the pressurized air to the air chamber. A cross-sectional area of each conduit varies between the inlet and the outlet so as to reduce a pressure drop across the flow conditioner.