Turbomachine Nozzle Vane Angular Positioning for Thermal Uniformity
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Solution Overview
Problem
In turbomachines, the arbitrary positioning of nozzle vanes relative to fuel injectors and air holes leads to temperature non-uniformities, reducing the lifespan and performance of the nozzle due to uneven thermal exposure.
Innovation Solution
The number of nozzle vanes is synchronized with the number of fuel injectors, with all vanes positioned to align with fuel injectors and air inlet orifices, ensuring uniform thermal exposure by aligning the injector heads with the axis and intersecting dilution air inlets, thus maintaining consistent thermal stresses across all vanes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the number of nozzle vanes is determined independently from the number of fuel injectors with arbitrary angular positions, then the design flexibility and ease of manufacture are improved, but temperature non-uniformities occur across the vanes reducing nozzle lifetime and turbomachine performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by establishing a specific mathematical relationship between the number of nozzle vanes and fuel injectors (Nv = k × Ni where k is an integer), and by defining precise angular positioning parameters. The angular position θ of each vane is determined by the formula θ = (360°/Nv) × (j + 0.5) where j is the vane index, positioning vanes at specific angular intervals that ensure uniform thermal exposure and eliminate temperature non-uniformities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making the thermal environment uniform across different locations of the nozzle vanes. By carefully positioning each vane at specific angular intervals relative to the fuel injectors, the patent ensures that all vanes experience identical thermal conditions, thereby eliminating local thermal non-uniformities that would otherwise cause varying stress levels and reduced reliability.
2Device complexity
If the nozzle vanes are randomly disposed relative to fuel injectors and air holes, then the device complexity is reduced, but thermal stress uniformity and turbomachine performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the arbitrary angular positioning into a defined parameter system where the angle between adjacent vanes is precisely calculated as 360°/Nv, and each vane is positioned at θ = (360°/Nv) × (j + 0.5). This parameter-based approach maintains simplicity while ensuring uniform thermal exposure across all vanes, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and thermal stress uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies equipotentiality by creating equal thermal conditions for all nozzle vanes through symmetric angular positioning. Each vane is placed at identical angular intervals relative to the fuel injectors, ensuring that all vanes experience the same thermal environment and thermal stresses, thereby achieving thermal equipotentiality across the nozzle structure.
3Reliability
If the number of nozzle vanes is synchronized with fuel injectors using the relationship Nv = k × Ni with specific angular positioning, then thermal stress uniformity and nozzle lifetime are improved, but design flexibility and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes to establish a flexible mathematical relationship Nv = k × Ni where k can be any integer, allowing the nozzle vane count to be synchronized with fuel injector count in multiple possible configurations. This parameter-based approach provides a systematic method for achieving uniform thermal exposure while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through clear numerical relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
A turbomachine including an annular combustion chamber fitted with fuel injectors and nozzle vanes arranged at the outlet from the chamber, the number of nozzle vanes being an integer multiple of the number of fuel injectors, and the head of each injector being situated angularly half-way between the leading edges of two consecutive nozzle vanes, these leading edges being in alignment with primary air holes and/or with dilution air holes.