Abstract: The high cost of a fuel injection system in a turbine engine may be substantially reduced by utilizing a combination manifold/fuel injector (80) that is formed of a flattened tube (82) of annular shape and disposed within the case (58) of the engine in substantially surrounding relation to an annular combustor (44). The flattened tube includes fuel injecting apertures (88, 100) which need not be precision formed but which are aligned with the flared ends (74) of inlet tubes (70) extending into the combustor (44) from the plenum defined by the space between the combustor (44) and the case (58).

Abstract: A gas turbine engine 10 having a rotor 12 with turbine blades 14 and a nozzle 16 adjacent the turbine blades 14 for directing hot gases of combustion at the turbine blades 14. The engine 10 also includes an annular combustor 18 about the rotor 12 and an annular combustor housing 30 substantially surrounding the combustor 18 in generally concentric spaced relation. A fuel injection system is operatively associated with the combustor 18 for injecting fuel into a combustion space 28 to be combusted with air from a compressor 34. The fuel injection system may include a plurality of circumferentially spaced fuel injectors 68 disposed in an outer wall 20 of the combustor 18 together with a generally oval shaped manifold 70 in fluid communication with a primary fuel source and the fuel injectors 68. A turbine shrould 36 is provided to extend radially outward from the rotor to the outer wall of the combustor on the side of the nozzle 16 opposite the combustion space 28.

Abstract: Poor atomization of fuel at low fuel flows in a gas turbine engine may be overcome in an engine including a rotary compressor (14), a turbine wheel (22) coupled to the compressor (14) to drive the same and a nozzle of (26) for directing gases of combustion at the turbine wheel (22). An annular combustor (34) defines a combustion annulus about the turbine wheel (22) and has an outlet (30) connected to the nozzle (26). A plurality of air blast tubes (50) include exit openings (52) circumferentially spaced about the combustor (32) and each has an axis (54) that is generally circumferentially directed with respect to the combustion annulus. A fuel discharge orifice (64) is located within each air blast tube (50) and a flange (66) is aligned with each orifice (64) in the path of fuel being discharged therefrom and at a substantial acute angle (.theta.) to the axis (54).

Abstract: Difficulties with starting reliability and/or combustion stability in hot gas generating systems are avoided in a construction including a storage vessel (36) for storing an oxidant; a fuel supply (22) and a combustion chamber (26) having an outlet (30) for hot gas. A fuel injection nozzle (28) provides fuel from the supply (22) to the combustion chamber (26) while an oxidant duct (44) connects the vessel (36) to the combustion chamber (26). A choked orifice (46) is disposed in the duct (44) just upstream of the combustion chamber (26) and a bypass duct (50) interconnects the combustion chamber outlet (30) and the oxidant duct (44) between the choked orifice (46) and the combustion chamber (26). A selectively operable valve (53) is disposed in the bypass duct (50) and a pressure regulator (42) is disposed in the oxidant duct (44) for selectively controlling the pressure of oxidant applied to the choked orifice (46).

Abstract: In order to avoid plugging the air passageways (70) of fuel injectors (42) with carbon particles in a gas turbine engine (10), the gas turbine engine (10) includes an annular combustor (18) having radial dilution air injection. The gas turbine engine (10) also includes a rotor (12) having turbine blades (14) and a nozzle (16) adjacent the turbine blades (14) which is adapted to direct hot gases at the turbine blades (14) to cause rotation of the rotor (12). The annular combustor (18) is disposed about the rotor (12) and has an outlet (20) to the nozzle (16), spaced inner and outer walls (22 and 24), and a generally radially extending wall (26) connecting the inner and outer walls (22 and 24). The gas turbine engine (10) further includes a housing (28) substantially surrounding the annular combustor (18) in spaced relation to the inner, outer, and radially extending walls (22, 24 and 26) to define a dilution air flow path (30).

Abstract: Inexpensive cooling of a gas turbine nozzle and shroud assembly (62, 66, 76) is obtained by locating cooling air passages (84) in the vanes (76) forming part of the nozzle structure (62, 66, 76) so as to allow cooling air to flow between the shrouds (62 and 66).

Abstract: Manifold head effects at low fuel flows in a fuel injected air breathing turbine are minimized by utilizing fuel injectors having fuel injecting tubes (66) with open ends (70) for fuel injection and provided with elongated capillary tubes (88) upstream thereof and connected to receive fuel from a fuel manifold (48) having an inlet (56) while uniform, relatively low velocity fuel exit flow from the ends (70) the injecting tubes (66) is achieved through the use of internal impingement surfaces (96, 102, 106, 110, 124). Pressure loss differences contributing to nonuniform fuel flow and resulting from some fuel injecting tubes (66) be more distant from the manifold inlet (56) are minimized by shortening the length of the capillary tubes (88) furthest from the manifold inlet (56).

Abstract: In order to assist in starting a gas turbine engine (10), hot pressurized exhaust gases are supplied through relatively large hot gas supply tubes (22) for direct impingement on turbine blades (14) to drive a turbine rotor (12). The relatively large hot gas supply tubes (22) are located in immediate proximity to a flame zone (32) of a combustor (16). This proximate location of the relatively large hot gas supply tubes (22) facilitates diversion of a small amount of hot pressurized, exhaust gases to the flame zone (32) through a flow control orifice (28) for the purpose of initiating ignition in the combustor (16) wherein the BTU energy of the exhaust gases is transferred to the combustor (16) during the starting thereof. The relatively large hot gas supply tubes (22) ensure a high mass flow rate of hot pressurized exhaust gases with some being directed to the flame zone (32) in a manner minimizing heat loss which enhances ignition reliability.

Abstract: The expense of fabricating an annular combustor (10) for a gas turbine is minimized by providing a combustor housing (12) including an axially extending sleeve (14) and an annular liner (18) disposed within the housing (12) and about the sleeve (14). The annular liner (18) has concentric inner and outer axially elongated walls (20, 22) spaced from the sleeve (14) and the housing (12), respectively, and also has a radially extending wall (24) spaced from the housing (12) and interconnecting the inner and outer walls (20, 22) at one end to define a combustion chamber (26). The liner (18) to spaced from the housing (12) the sleeve (14) to define a compressed air flow path (28) extending from a radially outer compressed air inlet (30) to a radially inner compressed air outlet (32) in communication with the combustion chamber (26) axially remote from the radially extending wall (24).

Abstract: In order to avoid plugging the air passageways (42a) of fuel injectors (42) with carbon particles or lumps in a gas turbine engine (10), the gas turbine engine (10) includes an annular combustor (18) having radial dilution air injection. The gas turbine engine (10) also includes a rotor (12) having turbine blades (14) and a nozzle (16) adjacent the turbine blades (14) which is adapted to direct hot gases of combustion at the turbine blades (14) to cause rotation of the rotor (12). The annular combustor (18) is disposed about the rotor (12) and has an outlet (20) to the nozzle (16), spaced inner and outer walls (22 and 24), and a generally radially extending wall (26) connecting the inner and outer walls (22 and 24). The gas turbine engine (10) further includes a housing (28) substantially surrounding the annular combustor (18) in spaced relation to the inner, outer, and radially extending walls (22, 24 and 26) to define a dilution air flow path (30).

Abstract: In order to reduce weight while also minimizing volume and pressure drop in a combustor assembly (18) for a turbine engine, the combustor assembly (18) includes an annular combustion chamber having a combustion space (20) defined entirely be an annular combustor case (22). The combustion chamber (18) is adapted to combust fuel and air in the combustion space (20) to generate gases of combustion. It has a combustor outlet (26) leading to a turbine nozzle (16). The outlet (26) is defined by a pair of turbine shrouds (28, 30). It also has a combustor inlet (32) leading to the combustion space (20). The combustor inlet (32) is defined by the combustor case (22) and one of the turbine shrouds (28). The combustion chamber (18) is adapted to receive injected air at the combustor inlet (32) in a manner creating a generally annular air flow in the combustion chamber (18) about the combustor case (22).

Abstract: Difficulties in accommodating thermal growth in a combustor for providing hot gases of combustor to drive, for example, a turbine wheel (10) are avoided in a combustor construction, including a housing (36) defining a combustion chamber having a relatively narrow inlet (38), an enlarged combustion area (42) and a relatively narrow outlet (40) opposite of the inlet (38). A fuel injector (46) is disposed in the inlet (38) for injecting fuel (50) at least into the combustion area (42) and a plenum case (56) surrounds the housing (36) in generally spaced relation. The plenum case (56) is adapted to be connected to a source (62) of oxidant under pressure and is in fluid communication with the inlet (38) to provide oxidant thereto to support combustion of fuel in the combustion area (42). A conduit (44) extends from the outlet (40) to be connected to a turbine nozzle (16) and a diaphragm (122) is interposed and sealingly engages both the housing (36) and the plenum case (56) near the outlet (40).

Abstract: Problems with the cooling of a turbine nozzle (60) and a turbine wheel (20) of a gas turbine engine when the engine is uprated may be avoided or minimized by employing a combustor (36) that is free of any means for providing cooling air films on the interior walls thereof and which allows the entry of only stoichiometric quantities of air into the interior of the combustor (36) at predetermined locations along the entire axial length thereof. Consequently, the entirety of the combustor (36) is available for combustion. Cooling of the nozzle (60) and components of the engine downstream thereof is handled by the provision of an annular opening (96) immediately upstream of the leading edges (98) of the vanes (58) constituting the nozzle (60) along with apertures (102) in a front turbine shroud (30) and aligned with leading edges (98). Air from the engine compressor (18) is flowed through the apertures (102) and the opening (96).

Abstract: Manifold head effects at low fuel flows in a fuel injected air breathing turbine are minimized by utilizing fuel injectors having fuel injecting tubes (66) with open ends (70) for fuel injection and provided with elongated capillary tubes (88) upstream thereof and connected to receive fuel from a fuel manifold (48) while uniform, relatively low velocity fuel exit flow from the ends (70) the injecting tubes (66) is achieved through the use of internal impingement surfaces (96, 102, 106, 110, 124).

Abstract: In order to achieve ignition at altitude, particularly in relatively small combustors (10) with low fuel flow rates, a fuel injection system (20) includes an air nozzle (26), a fuel nozzle (28), and an air assist tube (34). The fuel nozzle (28) is disposed in a manner so as to direct fuel through the air nozzle (26) and includes a fuel metering orifice (30) or capillary tube (32) to control fuel flow therethrough. The air assist tube (34) is integrally associated with the fuel nozzle (28) downstream of the fuel metering orifice (30) or capillary tube (32) to accelerate fuel flowing through the fuel nozzle (28).

Abstract: The problems of carbon build-up, poor fuel atomization, and fuel leakage in fuel injectors for turbine engines may be avoided if the fuel injector is fabricated by a method including the steps of: (a) providing a barrel (26) having an outlet end (44) adapted to be disposed in a turbine engine combustor (10), an inlet (46) adapted to be in fluid communication with the compressor of a turbine engine, an internal passage (40) extending between the inlet (46) and the outlet end (44) and a constriction (48) in the internal passage (40) between the inlet (46) and the outlet end (44) to define at least a partial venturi, (b) disposing a fuel tube (52) having a fuel injection end (54) within the internal passage (44), and (c) locating the fuel injector end (54) with respect to the constriction (48) at a position such that maximum fuel suction pressure is attained with a minimum reduction in air mass flow rate during operation of the injector.

Abstract: Turbine nozzle vane cooling difficulties may be avoided in a gas turbine including a rotary compressor (10), (14) having a turbine wheel (10), (16) connected to the same; a nozzle (34) having a plurality of vanes (36) surrounding the turbine wheel (10), (16) for directing products of combustion thereat; and a combustor (28) for burning fuel and providing the products of combustion to the nozzle (34). The vanes (36) have elongated openings (54) in the leading edges (42) thereof, the openings terminating in generally parallel, curved surfaces (62), (64) that merge with the leading edges (42). The openings (54) are in fluid communication with the compressor (10), (14) and, as a consequence, compressed air flowing out of the openings (54) attaches itself to the surfaces (66), (68) of the leading edge (42) of the vanes (36) to provide exit cooling.

Abstract: A purge system for the fuel injection system of a turbine engine is simplified by utilizing a system including first and second three-way valves 42, 44, each having an inlet port 46, an outlet port 48, and an inlet-outlet port 50 together with a movable valve element 52 which can alternately connect the inlet-outlet port 50 to the associated inlet port 46 or associated outlet port 48. A purge line 66 is connected to the outlet port 48 of each of the valves 42, 44 and extends into an exhaust conduit 20 of a turbine engine. A first line 60 is connected to the inlet-outlet port 50 of a first of the valves 42 and is connected to a start injector 30. A second line 63 is connected to the inlet-outlet port 50 of the other valve 48 and is adapted to be connected to at least one main injector 26. Separate conduits 62, 64 connected to respective ones of the inlet ports 46 are connected to respective controlled sources 36, 38, 40 of fuel under pressure.

Abstract: In order to provide an expansive central recirculating gas zone (40) in a combustor (10), and in a manner wherein the combustion chamber (20) is of compact volume, a stored energy combustor (10) comprises a vessel (12) having narrow, spaced-apart inlet and outlet ends (14, 16) interconnected by a wall (18) defining a relatively wise combustion chamber (20). The combustion chamber (20) is generally annular and a wall (18) defining the combustion chamber (20) includes an upstream wall region (18a) and a downstream wall region (18c) interconnected by a generally annular side wall region (18b). The inlet end (14) and outlet end (16) are generally tubular extensions of the vessel (12) leading to and from the combustion chamber (20) and oxidant is swirled in the tubular extension (14) leading to the combustion chamber (20) and directed in a swirling annulus into the combustion chamber (20) outwardly of a fuel injector (28).

Abstract: In order to significantly reduce the carbon produced in a combustor (10), and thus reduce or eliminate carbon buildup on combustor walls (14), a stored energy combustor (10) has a fuel discharge port (30) downstream of the combustion chamber (20). The downstream fuel discharge port (30) directs fuel into a secondary stored energy zone (24) downstream of a primary stored energy zone (22) comprised of an inlet end (16) and the combustion chamber (20) which receives an oxidant and a fuel through an upstream fuel discharge port (28) where the oxidant/fuel mixture is ignited to produce hot gases of combustion. The downstream fuel discharge port (30) is arranged to direct fuel in a manner forming a fuel film on the interior wall (14) in the secondary stored energy zone (24) such that the hot gases of combustion interact with the fuel film to cause fuel evaporation by establishing a stratified fuel annulus (54, 56).