Low emissions combustor for a gas turbine engine

• US 6,606,861 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Snyder, Timothy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles G.
• Application Number:
  US09/793,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 607/57, 607/55, 607/32, 608/09
• US Class Current: 60/752
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/002 Wall structures F23R3/02 and F23R3/007 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/06 Arrangement of apertures along the flame tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes inner and outer liners with a row 112, 114 of dilution air holes penetrating through each liner. The row 114 of holes in the outer liner comprise at least a set of large size, major outer holes 116 and may also include a set of smaller size minor outer holes 118 circumferentially intermediate neighboring pairs of the major outer holes. The row 112 of holes in the inner liner include dilution air holes circumferentially offset from the major outer holes and may also include a set of minor holes 122 circumferentially intermediate major inner holes 120. The major and minor holes admit respective major and minor jets of dilution air into the combustor. The unique distribution of major and minor holes and the corresponding major and minor dilution air jets helps to minimize NOx emissions and regulates the spatial temperature profile of the exhaust gases discharged from the combustor.

Claims

1. A combustor for a turbine engine, comprising:

an outer liner having exactly one row of circumferentially distributed outer combustion air holes penetrating therethrough, the outer holes comprising larger size major outer holes and smaller size minor outer holes circumferentially intermediate neighboring pairs of major outer holes; and

an inner liner circumscribed by the outer liner and having exactly one row of circumferentially distributed inner combustion air holes penetrating therethrough, the inner holes comprising larger size major inner holes, circumferentially offset from the major outer holes, and smaller size minor inner holes circumferentially intermediate neighboring pairs of major inner holes;

wherein each liner comprises a support shell, a forward heatshield secured to a forward portion of the support shell and an aft heatshield secured to an aft portion of the support shell.

2. The combustor of claim 1 wherein a plurality of impingement cooling holes penetrates each support shell and a plurality of film cooling holes penetrates each heatshield.

3. A combustor for a turbine engine, comprising:

an outer liner having exactly one row of circumferentially distributed outer dilution air holes penetrating therethrough, the outer dilution air holes comprising larger size major outer holes and smaller size minor outer holes circumferentially intermediate neighboring pairs of major outer holes;

an inner liner circumscribed by the outer liner and cooperating therewith to define an annular combustion chamber, the inner liner having exactly one row of circumferentially distributed inner dilution air holes penetrating therethrough, the inner dilution holes comprising larger size major inner holes, circumferentially offset from the major outer holes, and smaller size minor inner holes intermediate pairs of the major inner holes; and

a combustor front end assembly serving as the exclusive vehicle for introducing primary combustion air into the combustion chamber;

wherein each liner comprises a support shell, a forward heatshield secured to a forward portion of the support shell and an aft heatshield secured to an aft portion the support shell.

4. The combustor of claim 3 wherein a plurality of impingement cooling holes penetrates each shell and a plurality of film cooling holes penetrates each heatshield.

5. A combustor for a turbine engine, comprising:

an outer liner having a single row of equiangularly distributed, outer dilution air holes penetrating therethrough, the holes of the outer row comprising larger diameter major holes circumferentially alternating with smaller diameter minor holes; and

an inner liner circumscribed by the outer liner and cooperating therewith to define an annular combustion chamber, the inner liner having a single row of equiangularly distributed inner dilution air holes penetrating therethrough, the inner row of holes being substantially axially aligned with the outer row of holes and comprising larger diameter major holes circumferentially alternating with smaller diameter minor holes, the major inner holes being circumferentially aligned with the minor outer holes;

a hood extending radially between forward ends of the inner and outer liners;

a guide assembly also extending radially between the forward ends of the liners; and

a fuel injector projecting through the hood and the guide assembly, the hood, guide assembly and fuel injector having passageways serving as the exclusive vehicle for delivering primary combustion air to the combustion chamber.