Multicavity Combustion Damper for Broad Frequency Suppression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing turbine engine combustors face challenges in effectively damping multiple frequency tones of combustion instability, which can lead to equipment damage due to sinusoidal pressure fluctuations.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a multicavity damper with multiple cavity volumes, each with a unique length, allowing for customized acoustic attenuation characteristics to target and damp both low and high frequency tones, broadening the range of frequencies damped by the damper.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single-cavity damper is used, then the device complexity is low, but the frequency damping range is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency damping rangeVSAvoiddamper structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The damper is divided into multiple cavities (first cavity and second cavity) with different lengths, allowing each cavity to target different frequency ranges. This segmentation enables the damper to handle multi-tonal combustion instability across a broader frequency spectrum while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The multicavity damper design allows a single device to perform multiple functions by damping multiple frequency tones simultaneously. The first cavity targets lower frequencies while the second cavity targets higher frequencies, making the damper universally effective across various combustion instability scenarios without requiring multiple separate dampers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple dampers are used to cover different frequency ranges, then the frequency damping range is broadened, but the device complexity and number of components increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency damping rangeVSAvoidnumber of dampers
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple damping functions are merged into a single damper assembly by combining multiple cavities within one structure. The first and second cavities are integrated into a single damper body, allowing the system to achieve broad frequency damping coverage without requiring multiple separate damper components, thereby reducing installation complexity and component count.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If cavity lengths are made unique for each frequency target, then the damping precision for specific frequencies is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefrequency targeting accuracyVSAvoidcavity length tolerance
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Each cavity is designed with specific local dimensions (lengths of 0.25 to 0.50 meters for the first cavity and 0.15 to 0.30 meters for the second cavity) optimized for its intended frequency range. This local quality approach allows precise frequency targeting for each cavity while maintaining reasonable manufacturing tolerances by designing cavities with distinct, manageable dimensions rather than requiring all cavities to have identical precise dimensions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 multicavity damper effectively suppresses multi-tonal combustion instability, providing broad frequency damping with a single damper, reducing equipment damage and enhancing operational stability.

Implementation Method 1

a multicavity damper in fluid communication with the combustion chamber to dampen an instability generated in the combustion chamber by the combustion products

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic resonance: Resonance

Implementation Method 2

The multicavity damper effectively suppresses multi-tonal combustion instability, providing broad frequency damping

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP4650661A1Turbine engine having a multicavity damper
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
  • EP4650661A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4650661A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4650661A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A gas turbine engine (10) includes a compressor section (22) for compressing air (64) flowing therethrough to provide a compressed air flow (236), a combustor (200) including a combustion chamber (216), the combustion chamber (216) configured to combust a mixture of a fuel flow and the compressed air flow (236) to generate combustion products, and a turbine section (30) having at least one turbine driven by the combustion products. The gas turbine engine (10) includes a multicavity damper (300, 400, 500a, 500b) in fluid communication with the combustion chamber (216) to dampen an instability generated in the combustion chamber (216) by the combustion products. The multicavity damper (300, 400, 500a, 500b) has a plurality of cavity volumes (306, 308, 406, 408, 424, 506a, 506b, 508a, 508b) and the length of each cavity volume (306, 308, 406, 408, 424, 506a, 506b, 508a, 508b) is different. A number of cavity volumes (306, 308, 406, 408, 424, 506a, 506b, 508a, 508b) of the multicavity damper (300, 400, 500a, 500b) is directly proportional to a number of target frequencies.