Cooled Fuel Injector VESL Structure for Gas Turbine Coke Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine fuel injectors are prone to coke formation due to high fuel temperatures, leading to narrowed fuel openings, uneven fuel burn, and increased maintenance requirements, which obstructs nozzle tip openings and affects engine performance.
Innovation Solution
A cooled fuel injector system utilizing a vascular engineered structure lattice (VESL) structure, which is in fluid communication with a cooling fluid at a lower temperature than the core gas flow, is integrated into the fuel injector system to prevent coke formation by reducing heat transfer and maintaining fuel conduit temperatures below the coke formation threshold.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fuel injector designs are used without active cooling, then the structure is simpler, but coke formation occurs due to high fuel temperatures leading to narrowed fuel openings and increased maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
A cooling fluid intermediary substance is introduced between the hot fuel and the external environment. The cooling fluid flows through channels in the fuel conduit, absorbing heat from the fuel and preventing coke formation without requiring complex external cooling systems
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel conduit incorporates porous cooling structures that allow cooling fluid to permeate through the conduit walls, providing distributed cooling throughout the fuel path and effectively preventing coke formation at critical locations
2Reliability
If heat shields are used to reduce heat transfer to fuel, then coke formation is reduced, but the heat shields occupy space and add to the overall size of the fuel injector system
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling fluid channels are integrated directly into the fuel conduit structure, merging the cooling function with the existing fuel delivery pathway. This eliminates the need for separate heat shield components and reduces overall system volume
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel conduit serves multiple functions: it delivers fuel to the nozzle and simultaneously acts as a cooling channel for the cooling fluid. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated heat shielding structures
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 cooled fuel injector system effectively prevents coke formation, ensuring consistent fuel burn, reducing maintenance needs, and enhancing the operational efficiency and longevity of the gas turbine engine components.
Implementation Method 1
The first cooling fluid is at a temperature lower than a temperature of the core gas flow proximate the fuel injector system... effectively prevents coke formation by reducing heat transfer and maintaining fuel conduit temperatures below the coke formation threshold
Data Source
AI summary
A cooled fuel injector system of a combustor section of a gas turbine engine is provided. At least a part of the fuel injector system is exposed to core gas flow traveling through the engine. The cooled fuel injector system includes a source of a first cooling fluid and a fuel injector system component. The first cooling fluid is at a temperature lower than a temperature of the core gas flow proximate the fuel injector system. The fuel injector system component includes a vascular engineered structure lattice (VESL) structure, which VESL structure is in fluid communication with the source of the cooling fluid.