GAS TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER MADE OF CMC MATERIAL AND SUBDIVIDED INTO SECTORS

• US 20120073306A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Ceramics
• Original Assignee: Snecma Propulsion Solide (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Habarou, Georges, Camy, Pierre, Carrere, Benoit, Bouillon, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,371 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/796
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 2900/05005 Sealing means between wall tiles or panels
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 2900/00005 Preventing fatigue failures or reducing mechanical stress in gas turbine components
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 2900/00012 Details of sealing devices
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 2900/00018 Manufacturing combustion chamber liners or subparts
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/002 Wall structures F23R3/02 and F23R3/007 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/007 constructed mainly of ceramic components
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/50 Combustion chambers comprising an annular flame tube within an annular casing toroidal combustion chambers F23R3/52
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/60 Support structures; Attaching or mounting means

Abstract

An assembled annular combustion chamber comprises an annular inner wall and an annular outer wall made of ceramic matrix composite material together with a chamber end wall connected to the inner and outer walls and provided with orifices for receiving injectors. Elastically-deformable link parts connect the inner wall and the outer wall of the chamber to inner and outer casings that are made of metal. The assembly formed by the inner wall, the outer wall, and the combustion chamber end wall is subdivided circumferentially into adjacent chamber sectors, each sector being made as a single piece of ceramic composite material and comprising an inner wall sector, an outer wall sector, and a chamber end wall sector. The link parts connect the inner metal casing and the outer metal casing respectively to each inner wall sector of the combustion chamber and to each outer wall sector of the chamber. The chamber end wall sectors are in contact with a one-piece ring to which they are connected.

Claims

1. An annular combustion chamber assembly for a gas turbine, the assembly comprising:

an inner metal casing;

an outer metal casing;

an annular combustion chamber mounted between the inner and outer casings and comprising an annular inner wall and an annular outer wall of ceramic material together with a chamber end wall connected to the inner and outer walls and provided with orifices for receiving injectors; and

elastically-deformable link parts supporting the combustion chamber between the inner metal casing and the outer metal casing;

the assembly formed by the inner wall, the outer wall, and the end wall of the combustion chamber being subdivided circumferentially into adjacent chamber sectors, each comprising an inner wall sector, an outer wall sector, and a chamber end sector interconnecting the outer and inner wall sectors;

wherein each chamber sector is made as a single piece of ceramic composite material, wherein elastically-deformable link parts connect the inner metal casing and the outer metal casing respectively to each inner wall sector of the combustion chamber and to each outer wall sector of the chamber, and wherein a one-piece ring is also provided in contact with the chamber end wall sectors and to which the chamber sectors are connected.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection between the chamber sectors and the ring is made by means of injector bowls.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, further comprising inner and outer annular cowls extending the inner and outer walls of the combustion chamber upstream and carried by said ring.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein each link part has a first end fastened to the inner or outer metal casing and a second end fastened to an inner or outer wall sector of the combustion chamber.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein each inner or outer combustion chamber wall sector carries at least one tab to which the second end of a link part is fastened.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein each tab of an inner or outer combustion chamber wall sector is made of ceramic matrix composite material and is incorporated in the sector during fabrication thereof.

7. An assembly according to claim 6, wherein each tab comprises fiber reinforcement that extends fiber reinforcement of the inner or outer wall sector in which the tab is incorporated.

8. An assembly according to claim 6, wherein each tab comprises fiber reinforcement that is connected to fiber reinforcement of the inner or outer wall sector in which the tab is incorporated.

9. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein a sealing gasket is interposed between adjacent chamber sectors.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein the sealing gasket comprises a fiber structure made of refractory fibers.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the fiber structure of the sealing gasket is densified at least in part by a ceramic matrix.

12. An assembly according to claim 1, including inner and outer annular sealing lips fastened to the downstream end portion of the chamber on the outsides of the inner and outer chamber walls.

13. An assembly according to claim 12, wherein each inner or outer combustion chamber wall sector carries at least one tab to which the second end of a link part is fastened, and wherein the sealing lips are fastened to the tabs carried by the inner and outer wall sectors of the chamber.

14. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer chamber wall sectors are extended by end portions that are fastened on the outer faces of the inner and outer walls of a turbine nozzle disposed at the outlet from the combustion chamber.

15. A gas turbine aero-engine provided with a combustion chamber assembly according to claim 1.