Variable Volume Combustor Liner for Gas Turbine Emission Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional gas turbine engines have fixed volume combustion chambers, which hinder efficient fuel burn and increase NOx emissions across varying operating states, necessitating a solution to adjust the primary combustion zone volume for improved operability and emission reduction.

Innovation Solution

A combustor liner with an outer liner expanded primary volume portion and a movable secondary outer liner portion, allowing adjustment of the primary combustion zone volume by opening or closing access to increase or decrease the volume, thereby optimizing fuel burn and reducing NOx emissions across different power operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the combustor liner has a fixed length and geometry, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the primary combustion zone volume cannot be adjusted across various operating states, leading to inefficient fuel burn and increased NOx emissions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability of primary combustion zone volumeVSAvoidcombustor liner structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The combustor liner is segmented into multiple sections: a fixed forward section, a movable middle section, and a fixed aft section. The movable middle section can be displaced axially to adjust the volume of the primary combustion zone. This segmentation allows the liner to transition from a fixed structure to an adjustable one, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and volume adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The combustor liner incorporates a movable section that can dynamically adjust its position along the axial direction. This dynamic capability allows the primary combustion zone volume to be optimized for different operating conditions (e.g., idle, cruise, takeoff), transforming the static liner into an adaptive structure that maintains optimal performance across varying operating states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the primary combustion zone volume is fixed, then the device is simpler to operate, but fuel burn efficiency decreases and NOx emissions increase across varying power operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel burn efficiencyVSAvoidNOx emissions

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the volume parameter of the primary combustion zone by displacing the movable liner section axially. By adjusting this geometric parameter, the system optimizes fuel burn efficiency and reduces NOx emissions for different power operations. The volume can be increased for high-power operations to improve mixing and combustion efficiency, and decreased for low-power operations to maintain proper equivalence ratios and reduce emissions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If the combustor liner is made movable to adjust primary combustion zone volume, then fuel burn efficiency and emission performance improve, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperability across operating statesVSAvoidcombustor liner manufacturing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The liner is divided into manufacturable segments with standardized interfaces. The movable section incorporates sealing elements and positioning features that can be manufactured using conventional techniques. This segmentation strategy allows complex functionality to be achieved while maintaining reasonable manufacturing ease through modular construction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention introduces intermediary components such as sealing elements, positioning ribs, and actuation mechanisms that facilitate the movable section's operation. These intermediaries enable the adjustable volume functionality while managing the manufacturing complexity by providing standardized, off-the-shelf components that simplify assembly and maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 enables more efficient fuel burn and reduced NOx emissions by dynamically adjusting the primary combustion zone volume, enhancing the operability of gas turbine engines across various operating states.

Implementation Method 1

a primary combustion zone at an upstream end of the combustion chamber, wherein one of the outer liner expanded primary volume portion and the secondary outer liner portion is movable to adjust a volume of the primary combustion zone

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentUS11898755B2Combustor with a variable volume primary zone combustion chamber

Publication Date: 2024.02.13 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

AI summary

A combustor for a gas turbine has a combustor liner including an outer liner and an inner liner, a combustion chamber being defined between the outer liner and the inner liner. The combustion chamber includes a primary combustion zone at an upstream end of the combustion chamber. The combustor also includes an outer liner expanded primary volume portion, and a secondary outer liner portion. One of the outer liner expanded primary volume portion and the secondary outer liner portion is movable to adjust a volume of the primary combustion zone by opening and closing access to the outer liner expanded primary volume portion so as to increase and to decrease the volume of the primary combustion zone.