Arrangement for controlling fluid jets injected into a fluid stream

• US 7,976,213 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Sabatino, Daniel R., Liscinsky, David S., Sahm, Michael K., Nardone, Vincent C., Noack, Bernd R., Bertolotti, Fabio P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin; Walter
• Assistant Examiner(s): VanDeusen; Christopher K
• Application Number:
  US12/143,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20080251128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 366/336, 366/340
• US Class Current: 366/340
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/145 Means for influencing boundary layers or secondary circulations for compressors F04D29/68
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/08 the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/28 using fluid jets to influence the jet flow
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/38 Introducing air inside the jet F02K1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/46 Nozzles having means for adding air to the jet or for augmenting the mixing region between the jet and the ambient air, e.g. for silencing F02K1/28, F02K1/36, F02K1/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 14/583 of elongated shape, e.g. slits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0329 Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions

Abstract

In an air mixing arrangement wherein a primary fluid is introduced through an opening in a wall to be mixed with a secondary fluid flowing along the wall surface, the opening is airfoil shaped with its leading edge being orientated at an attack angle with respect to the secondary fluid flow stream to enhance penetration and dispersion of the primary fluid stream into the secondary fluid stream. The airfoil shaped opening is selectively positioned such that its angle of attack provides the desired lift to optimize the mixing of the two streams for the particular application. Embodiments of the arrangement can comprise a collar around the openings, multiple openings that comprise a larger opening and a smaller opening positioned downstream, pairs of openings and associated collars symmetric relationship, and nozzles on the inner side of the wall.

Claims

1. A method of mixing cross-streams of a primary fluid stream and a secondary fluid stream flowing in a first direction substantially parallel to and over a surface of a wall, said method comprising:

forming an opening with an airfoil profile in said wall oriented at an angle of attack, α

, with respect to said first direction; and

causing said first fluid stream to flow through said opening so as to be mixed with said secondary fluid,

wherein said airfoil profile has a leading edge and a trailing edge downstream of the leading edge and at which the airfoil profile converges to a sharp cusp,

wherein said wall is part of a jet engine combustion chamber, and

wherein said primary fluid stream is quench air and wherein said secondary fluid stream is front-end air.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said angle α

is in the range of 0-10°

.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opening comprises a plurality of openings, each having said airfoil profile.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of openings includes at least one larger opening and one smaller opening disposed downstream, with respect to the secondary fluid flow, of said larger opening.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 further comprising providing a collar around said openings, wherein said collar is attached to and extends from said wall.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising forming at least one round shaped opening in said surface.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said round shaped opening is located upstream from said opening that has said airfoil profile.

8. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said plurality of openings includes a pair of openings that are symmetrically disposed with respect to said first direction, and wherein said openings in said pair have respective angles of attack that are on opposite sides of said first direction.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said plurality of openings includes one or more other pairs of openings, and wherein each pair is symmetrically disposed about said first direction.

10. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said openings includes a collar that surrounds said opening and extends outwardly from said wall.

11. A method as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said openings includes a guide vane that is attached to and extends inwardly from said wall.

12. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising causing said first fluid stream to flow through said opening in a direction substantially normal to said first direction.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said angle of attack, α

, is in the range of approximately minus 5 to 25 degrees.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising selecting the angle of attack, α

, to provide a desired degree of penetration of the first fluid stream into the second fluid stream.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the step of selecting the angle of attack, α

, to provide a degree of penetration desired comprises;

selecting a low angle of attack when a high penetration is desired; and

selecting a high angle of attack when a low penetration is desired.