Gas turbine engine combustor can with trapped vortex cavity

• US 6,951,108 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2004
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Haynes, Joel Meier, Joshi, Narendra Digamber, Feitelberg, Alan S., Burrus, David Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Casaregola, Louis J.
• Application Number:
  US10/762,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 607/37, 60746-748, 607/49, 607/50
• US Class Current: 60/746
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 2900/07001 Air swirling vanes incorporating fuel injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2900/14004 with radially extending gas distribution spokes
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 2900/00015 Trapped vortex combustion chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/283 Attaching or cooling of fuel injecting means including supports for fuel injectors, stems, or lances
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/286 having fuel-air premixing devices F23R3/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/346 for staged combustion
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/58 Cyclone or vortex type combustion chambers

Abstract

A gas turbine engine combustor can downstream of a pre-mixer has a pre-mixer flowpath therein and circumferentially spaced apart swirling vanes disposed across the pre-mixer flowpath. A primary fuel injector is positioned for injecting fuel into the pre-mixer flowpath. A combustion chamber surrounded by an annular combustor liner disposed in supply flow communication with the pre-mixer. An annular trapped dual vortex cavity located at an upstream end of the combustor liner is defined between an annular aft wall, an annular forward wall, and a circular radially outer wall formed therebetween. A cavity opening at a radially inner end of the cavity is spaced apart from the radially outer wall. Air injection first holes are disposed through the forward wall and air injection second holes are disposed through the aft wall. Fuel injection holes are disposed through at least one of the forward and aft walls.

Claims

1. A gas turbine engine combustor can assembly comprising:

a combustor can downstream of a pre-mixer;

said pre-mixer having a pre-mixer upstream end, a pre-mixer downstream end and a pre-mixer flowpath therebetween, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart swirling vanes disposed across said pre-mixer flowpath between said upstream and downstream ends, and a primary fuel injection means for injecting fuel into said pre-mixer flowpath;

said swirling vanes disposed across said pre-mixer flowpath defined between an outer flow sleeve and an inner flow sleeve;

said combustor can having a combustion chamber surrounded by an annular combustor liner disposed in supply flow communication with said pre-mixer;

an annular trapped dual vortex cavity located at said upstream end of said combustor liner and defined between an annular aft wall, an annular forward wall, and a circular radially outer wall formed therebetween;

a cavity opening at a radially inner end of said cavity spaced apart from said radially outer wall and extending between said aft wall and said forward wall;

air injection first holes in said aft wall and air injection second holes in said forward wall, said air injection first and second holes spaced radially apart;

fuel injection holes in at least one of said forward and aft walls;

a reverse flow combustor flowpath including, in downstream serial flow relationship, an aft to forward portion between an outer flow sleeve and said annular combustor liner, a 180 degree bend forward of said vortex cavity, and said pre-mixer flowpath at a downstream end of said combustor flowpath.

2. A combustor can assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

angled film cooling apertures disposed through said aft wall, said forward wall, and said outer wall,

said film cooling apertures through said aft wall are angled radially inwardly,

said film cooling apertures through said forward wall are angled radially outwardly in a downstream direction,

said film cooling apertures through said outer wall are angled axially aftwardly, and

said fuel injection holes are disposed through said forward wall.

3. A combustor can assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein said primary fuel injection means includes fuel cavities within said swirling vanes, fuel injection holes extending through trailing edges of said swirling vanes from the fuel cavities to said pre-mixer flowpath.

4. A combustor can assembly as claimed in claim 2, further comprising angled film cooling apertures disposed through said aft wall, said forward wall, and said outer wall.

5. A combustor can assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said fuel injection holes is surrounded by a plurality of said air injection second holes and said air injection first holes are singularly arranged in a circumferential row.

6. A gas turbine engine combustor can assembly comprising:

a combustor can downstream of a pre-mixer;

said pre-mixer having a pre-mixer upstream end, a pre-mixer downstream end and a pre-mixer flowpath therebetween, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart swirling vanes disposed across said pre-mixer flowpath between said upstream and downstream ends, and a primary fuel injection means for injecting fuel into said pre-mixer flowpath;

said combustor can having a combustion chamber surrounded by an annular combustor liner disposed in supply flow communication with said pre-mixer;

an annular trapped dual vortex cavity located at said upstream end of said combustor liner and defined between an annular aft wall, an annular forward wall, and a circular radially outer wall formed therebetween;

a cavity opening at a radially inner end of said cavity spaced apart from said radially outer wall and extending between said aft wall and said forward wall;

air injection first holes in said forward wall and air injection second holes in said aft wall, said air injection first and second holes spaced radially apart;

fuel injection holes in at least one of said forward and aft walls;

angled film cooling apertures disposed through said aft wall, said forward wall, said and outer wall; and

a second stage pre-mixing convoluted mixer located between said pre-mixer and said vortex cavity and including circumferentially alternating lobes extending radially inwardly into said pre-mixer flowpath.

7. A combustor can assembly as claimed in claim 6, further comprising angled film cooling apertures disposed through said aft wall, said forward wall, and said outer wall.

8. A combustor can assembly as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

said film cooling apertures through said aft walls are angled radially outwardly,

said film cooling apertures through said forward walls are angled radially inwardly in a downstream direction,

said film cooling apertures through said outer wall are angled axially forwardly,

said fuel injection holes and said air injection second holes are disposed through said aft wall, and

said air injection first holes are disposed through said forward wall.

9. A combustor can assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said fuel injection holes is surrounded by a plurality of said air injection second holes and said air injection first holes are singularly arranged in a circumferential row.