Abstract: A wall element (29A, 29B) for a combustor (20) of a gas turbine engine (10). The wall element (29A, 29B) defines an axis. In use, the axis is arranged generally parallel to the principal axis of the engine (10). In one aspect, the length of the wall element (29B) along the axis is at least substantially 20% of the length of the wall element (29B) transverse to the axis. In another aspect, the wall element (29A, 29B) has a first pair of opposite edges extending transverse to the axis and a second pair of opposite edges (48, 50) extending transverse to the first pair, at least one of the second pair of edges (48, 50) being angled relative to the axis of the wall element (29A, 29B).

Abstract: A method for improving the cooling effectiveness of a gaseous coolant stream which flows through at least one passage hole in a substrate to an exit site on a high-temperature surface of the substrate is disclosed. The method comprises disrupting the coolant stream at the exit site, so that the coolant stream contacts a greater area of the high-temperature surface. In some embodiments, the exit site is a crater. Moreover, the exit site may be formed within a coating applied over the substrate, e.g., a thermal barrier coating applied over a superalloy substrate. Related articles are also disclosed.

Abstract: A combustor liner and a method for combusting fuel in air with lowered production of NOX in a stationary, industrial gas turbine. The liner comprises a fuel injection location within the liner at an upstream end of the liner; combustion air openings in a liner wall sized to admit from about 10% to about 25% of total mass airflow entering the liner; suppression air openings in the liner wall from about 0.3 to about 0.5 equivalent diameters downstream of the combustion air openings, the suppression air openings being sized to admit from about 0.8 to about 4 times the mass airflow entering the liner through the combustion air openings; and wall cooling openings distributed in the liner wall for cooling thereof, the wall cooling openings being sized to admit from about 10% to about 40% of the total mass airflow entering the liner.

Abstract: Multi-hole film cooling of combustor liners is enhanced by providing clustered groups of cooling holes in areas of the liners that would otherwise experience a loss of cooling film effectiveness. The combustor liner is made up of a shell having first and second groups of cooling holes formed therein. The cooling holes of the second group are more closely spaced than the cooling holes of the first group. The second group of cooling holes is located on an area of the shell where the cooling film effectiveness is degraded. Preferred locations include a region of the shell that is subjected to swirl impingement and a spot immediately downstream of a large opening in the shell such as a dilution hole, a borescope hole or an igniter port hole.

Abstract: A double wall structure for a gas turbine engine has an inner wall comprising a number of tiles. The outer wall is provided with a number of apertures through which air is directed into the space between the two walls. Inclined apertures are provided in the tiles so that cooling air can pass into the combustion chamber and form a cooling film underneath the tile. Each tile is provided with a number of pedestals. The orientation of the inclined apertures is such that the axis of each aperture lies upon an unobstructed channel between the pedestals.

Abstract: A combustor liner includes a wall having an outboard surface and an opposite inboard surface. A plurality of first holes are inclined through the wall in a multihole pattern to channel cooling fluid therethrough to form a cooling film layer along the inboard surface. A second hole extends perpendicularly through the wall within the multihole pattern to form a shadow along the inboard surface devoid of the first holes. A transition hole extends through the wall in the shadow at a greater inclination than the first holes for cooling the wall at the shadow.

Abstract: A gas turbine combustor having a combustion chamber (10) with a steam-cooled peripheral wall (2) has an air hole (1) for injecting dilution air therethrough bored in the peripheral wall (2) on an upstream side of the combustion chamber (10). The air is thereby supplied through the air hole (1) into the vicinity of an inner surface of the peripheral wall (2) to form a film flow of air, and an increase of the fuel concentration there is suppressed. The dilution air is preferably supplied from a gas turbine compressor (6).

Abstract: A one piece cold combustor wall for lining the reverse flow hot combustor wall of a gas turbine engine, disposed at a distance from the outer surface of the hot combustor wall. Improved cooling of the hot combustor wall results from the addition of impingement cooling air injected through orifices in the cold combustion wall directed at the hot combustion wall together with film cooling by air conducted between the hot and cold combustor walls. The cold combustor wall is perforated with a pattern of air impingement inlet orifices through the cold combustor wall conducting compressed air from the outer surface of the cold combustor wall in compressed air jets directed at the outer surface of the hot combustor wall. The provision of a cold combustor wall also improves conventional air film cooling by adding impingement cooling and reusing the air after impingement to form a contained air film between the hot and cold walls.

Abstract: A combustion chamber is disclosed for a turbojet engine in which the combustion chamber has a forward intake, a rear exit and a perforated casing extending between the intake and exit. The combustion chamber also has at least two rows of insulating tiles arrayed on the casing in forward and rear rows with both rows extending circumferentially around the inner surface of the casing bounding the combustion chamber. Each rear tile has a forward edge portion with a sloping wall and each forward tile has a tapered rear edge portion overlapping the forward edge portion with a clearance therebetween such that the tampered rear edge portion and the sloping wall bound a slot opening into the combustion chamber and slanting towards the rear of the combustion chamber to facilitate the formation of an air cooling film on inner surfaces of the tiles.

Abstract: A combustion chamber is disclosed for a gas turbine engine having a feeder owl interposed between the forward end wall of the combustion chamber and an associated air and fuel injection device, the feeder bowl having a generally annular configuration with spaced apart outer and inner walls forming a chamber. A baffle is formed integrally with the feeder bowl and extends outwardly from a merging zone in a direction generally parallel to the forward end wall of the combustion chamber. The outer wall of the feeder bowl has a plurality of air intake orifices communicating with the chamber and located adjacent to the merging zone. The inner wall of the feeder bowl has a plurality of first and second air outlet orifices, both communicating with the chamber and the second air outlet orifices being spaced from the first air outlet orifices.

Abstract: An air fuel mixer is disclosed having a mixing duct, a shroud surrounding the upstream end of the mixing duct in which a fuel manifold is provided in flow communication with a fuel supply and control means, a set of inner and outer counter-rotating swirlers adjacent the upstream end of the mixing duct for imparting swirl to an air stream, a hub separating the inner and outer annular swirlers to allow independent rotation of the air stream, and a centerbody located axially along and substantially the full length of the mixing duct. In order to inject one type of fuel into the mixing duct, fuel is supplied to the outer annular swirlers which include hollow vanes with internal cavities, wherein the internal cavities of the outer swirler vanes are in fluid communication with the fuel manifold in the shroud. The outer swirler vanes further include a plurality of fuel passages therethrough in flow communication with the internal cavities.

Abstract: A combustion chamber, particularly for a turbomachine, has at least one generally axially extending wall provided with a plurality of through holes defining a multi-hole cooling system for the wall. The wall also has a plurality of dilution holes which affect locally the flow of burnt gases in the chamber, and the cooling through holes are oriented according to the local flow of burnt gases in the chamber. In particular the wall is subdivided into first zones, downstream of the dilution holes, in which the through holes are oriented substantially in countercurrent to the overall flow direction of the burnt gases in the chamber, second zones and third zones which are disposed on opposite sides of the first zones and in which the orientation of the through holes is inclined both axially and circumferentially, and a fourth zone covering the remainder of the wall and in which the through holes are inclined axially in the overall flow direction of the burnt gases.

Abstract: Existing combustors have the tendency to emit emissions and require a large quantity of cooling air to retain or extend the life of the components to a reasonable life expectancy. The present combustor reduces the emissions emitted therefrom, requires a reduced quantity of cooling air while resulting in a high heat transfer cooling rate extending the life expectancy of the components. The combustor construction includes an interior liner having a plurality of angled holes extending therethrough arranged in a preestablished pattern defining a centroid and an exterior liner having a plurality of holes extending therethrough at about a 90 degree. At least a portion of the plurality of holes in the exterior liner being radially aligned with the centroid of the plurality of holes in the interior line.

Abstract: In a combustion chamber (100) which is designed as an annular combustion chamber and a mixing essentially comprises a primary zone (1), a mixing section (2) arranged downstream and an adjoining secondary stage (3), vortex generators (200) are fixed inside the mixing section (2), which vortex generators (200) serve to form vortices. Both the mixing section (2) and the vortex generators (200) are provided with passage openings through which mixing air (8) flows into the interior of the mixing section (2) and mixes there with the main flow (4). The quantity of the intermixed mixing air (8) is variable; it can have a supercritical or subcritical blow-out rate relative to the main flow (4), and in this connection at least film cooling of the duct walls (5, 6) and of the vortex generators (200) takes place even at subcritical blow-out rate.

Abstract: A wall is disclosed for a gas turbine engine combustion chamber having a generally annular configuration around a central axis wherein the wall has an inner surface bounding at least a portion of the combustion chamber and a plurality of rows of cooling openings, each cooling opening having an elongated, generally rectangular configuration with a length l and a width e such that l is greater than e, the cooling openings in each row being equidistantly spaced apart a distance d in which d is not greater than the length l. The cooling openings of a given row are circumferentially displaced from cooling openings of an adjacent row and, since the distance d is not greater than the length l of the cooling openings, the opening areas overlap in adjacent rows to provide an even distribution of the cooling film within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An air fuel mixer is disclosed having a mixing duct, a shroud surrounding the upstream end of the mixing duct in which a fuel manifold is provided in flow communication with a fuel supply and control means, a set of inner and outer counter-rotating swirlers adjacent the upstream end of the mixing duct for imparting swirl to an air stream, a hub separating the inner and outer annular swirlers to allow independent rotation of the air stream, and a centerbody located axially along and substantially the full length of the mixing duct. In order to inject one type of fuel into the mixing duct, fuel is supplied to the outer annular swirlers which include hollow vanes with internal cavities, wherein the internal cavities of the outer swirler vanes are in fluid communication with the fuel manifold in the shroud. The outer swirler vanes further include a plurality of fuel passages therethrough in flow communication with the internal cavities.

Abstract: A wall adapted for use in a gas turbine engine between a first and a hotter second fluid includes a first side over which is flowable the first fluid, and an opposite second side over which is flowable the second fluid. An elongate slot extends inwardly from the second side and is disposed in flow communication with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart holes extending inwardly from the first side. The holes are disposed at a compound angle relative to the second side for discharging the first fluid obliquely into the slot and at a shallow discharge angle from the slot along the second side. The holes are also disposed in converging pairs to impinge together in the slot the first fluid channeled therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, the slot has an aft surface including a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart grooves extending from the holes to the wall second side.

Abstract: A wall adapted for use in a gas turbine engine between a first and a hotter second fluid includes a first side over which is flowable the first fluid, and an opposite second side over which is flowable the second fluid. An elongate slot extends inwardly from the second side and is disposed in flow communication with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart holes extending inwardly from the first side. The holes are disposed at a compound angle relative to the second side for discharging the first fluid obliquely into the slot and at a shallow discharge angle from the slot along the second side. In a preferred embodiment, the slot has an aft surface including a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart grooves extending from the holes to the wall second side.

Abstract: A pre-mixing injection system to feed a fuel/air mixture to a combustion zone in a turbojet engine combustion chamber is disclosed having a pre-mixing tube defining a convergent pre-mixing zone and a diverging intermediate zone between the fuel and air injection devices, and the combustion zone of the combustion chamber. The convergent pre-mixing zone has an inlet adjacent to the fuel injector and air swirlers to accept the fuel/air mixture into the pre-mixing tube. The pre-mixing zone converges in a direction from the inlet to an outlet which is in communication with the inlet of the divergent intermediate zone. The divergent intermediate zone has an outlet which is, in turn, in communication with the combustion zone of the turbojet engine combustion chamber. The divergent intermediate zone is defined by an inner wall and an outer wall spaced from the inner wall so as to define a generally frusto-conical chamber between them.

Abstract: Cooling air flow from behind bulkhead liner segments 30 and from behind float wall panels 42 is guided as flow 50 over the hot surface of the bulkhead liner segments by fairing 44. The fairing is secured between a shell (38,40) and a float wall panel 42, and being of equal and coincident length as the panel, may be replaced with the removal of only one panel.

Abstract: Lean direct injection is used in a gas turbine combustor to reduce NO.sub.x emissions. The combustor has a plurality of fuel jets for tangentially injecting fuel and a plurality of air jets for tangentially injecting air therein. The fuel jets and the air jets are preferably disposed in a common cross-sectional plane, although additional groups of fuel and air jets in other planes can be provided. The jets are all evenly spaced and alternate between fuel and air jets. All of the jets preferably point in the same circumferential direction. Alternatively, the jets can be arranged so that all fuel jets are located in a first cross-sectional plane, and all air jets are located in a second cross-sectional plane. Preferably, the fuel jets point in one circumferential direction while the air jets point in the opposite circumferential direction.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor comprises a combustion chamber the walls of which have a plurality of holes extending therethrough for the flow of cooling air into the interior of the chamber. The holes are so configured and arranged that cooling air is exhausted from them in a flow direction which is normal or oblique to the general direction of gas flow through the chamber and oblique to the portion of the chamber wall local thereto.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine hot section component such as a turbine blade or vane having an airfoil is provided a non-film cooled portion of a heat transfer wall having a hot surface and a plurality of longitudinally extending micro-grooves disposed in the portion of the wall along the hot surface in a direction parallel to the direction of the hot gas flow. The depth of the micro-grooves is very small and on the order of magnitude of a predetermined laminar sublayer of a turbulent boundary layer. The grooves are sized so as to alter the boundary layer thickness near the leading edge of the airfoil to reduce heat transfer from the hot gas flow to the airfoil near the leading edge. In one embodiment the micro-grooves are about 0.001 inches deep and have a preferred depth range of from about 0.001 inches to 0.005 inches and which are square, rectangular, or triangular in cross-section and the micro-grooves are spaced about one width apart.

Abstract: A combustor dome assembly includes an annular support plate fixedly joined to a combustion liner which confines combustion gases. The support plate includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced support openings for supporting respective carburetors, and respective splashplates fixedly joined coaxially to each of the support openings. Each of the splashplates includes an intermediate flared portion spaced axially downstream from an intermediate portion of the support plate to define a plenum, and a distal end spaced radially away from the liner to define a circumferential extending outlet gap in flow communication with the plenum. The support plate intermediate portion has a plurality of impingement holes disposed between the support openings and a proximal end of the support plate for channeling a first portion of compressed air as impingement air into the plenum to impinge against the splashplate intermediate portion.

Abstract: A single nozzle combustion liner cap assembly is provided in the form of an outer annular sleeve connected to an inner center ring or cowl by an angled web or cone portion formed with multiple arrays of holes for introducing air through the cone portion where it is then diverted in desired directions by cooling slots formed by integral baffles or vanes formed on the downstream side of the cone portion. In one exemplary embodiment, three baffles or directional vanes are provided on the cone portion, the two innermost of which direct air radially inwardly along the downstream surface of the cone toward the cowl, and the third of which directs air in two opposite directions, i.e., inwardly and outwardly along the cone portion.

Abstract: An annular combustor for a gas turbine engine having a rotatable fuel slinger has a first plurality of effusion cooling holes for directing air flow radially inwardly toward said fuel slinger and circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the fuel slinger and a second plurality of effusion cooling holes on the opposite side of the fuel slinger for directing air radially inwardly and circumferentially in the direction of rotation of the fuel slinger, thereby to produce a pair of annular axially spaced helical air flow patterns having a confluence in the direction of fuel flow radially outwardly from the fuel slinger.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor is provided with a combustor dome plate film cooling means having an annular slotted ring to provide a film starting means upstream of a multi-hole film cooled single wall metal dome plate which is annular in shape. One particular embodiment provides a starting slot in the form of a plurality of rings surrounding the edges of the air/fuel nozzle inlet apertures in the dome plate. The cooling holes are disposed in concentric circles about the apertures and angled along radii emanating from the center of the apertures. This produces a cooling film emanating radially from the ring like circular slots around each air/fuel nozzle inlet aperture in the dome plate. Another embodiment provides a starting slot in the form of circumferential rails circumferentially disposed about the inner and outer circumferential edges of dome plate.

Abstract: A combustion apparatus comprises a combustion chamber disposed about a central longitudinal axis and means to separately introduce oxidant and fuel into the combustion chamber such that when ignited, the resulting diffusion flame swirls about the central axis and exhibits characteristics of a premixed flame. The asymmetric nature of the flame components introduction allows the combustion to be conducted stably at a fuel rich or fuel lean condition and if desired, to extinguish the flame. The fuel oxidant ratio can be reduced such that nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced. Great combustion stability obtained at low equivalence ratios and elimination of possibility of flashback are achieved in the new process and due to the spinning flame, combustion is completed in very short distances.

Abstract: A gas turbine combustor comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced can type combustion liners disposed between inner and outer casings of the gas turbine engine. Each combustion liner has an auxiliary set of circumferentially spaced air slots behind a set of circumferentially spaced primary air holes that introduce compressor discharge air to cool hot spots in the primary combustion zone. The air slots are set at an angle so that the compressor discharge air is admitted into the combustion liner in such a way as to induce a swirling motion in the primary combustion zone. The combustion liner also has a set of circumferentially spaced dilution air holes that are sized and located upstream far enough to maintain an acceptable exit temperature profile and acceptable low level carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons emissions.

Abstract: In order to facilitate enhanced starting of gas turbines at very high altitudes where the cost must be low and the design must be simple, a turbine engine (10) is disclosed. It includes a turbine wheel (12) coupled to a compressor (14) for driven movement, a nozzle (16) for directing gases of combustion at the turbine wheel 12), and an annular combustor (18) defining an annular combustion space upstream of the turbine wheel (12) in fluid communication with both the compressor (14) and the nozzle (16). The combustor (18) receives fuel from a source and air from the compressor (14) and combusts them in the combustion space to generate the gases of combustion. The combustor (18) is defined by an annular outer wall (20), an annular inner wall (22), and a radial wall (24) extending therebetween opposite the nozzle (16).

Abstract: In order to efficiently atomize a fuel/air mixture to reduce smoke, a fuel injection system (26) for a combustor (12) of a turbine engine (10) includes an air blast tube (16), a fuel supply passage (42), and an impingement surface (30). The air blast tube (16) is mounted in relation to an opening (18) in a wall (20) of the combustor (12) such that a first end (22) of the tube (16) is in communication with the combustor (12) and a second end (24) of the tube (16) is in communication with a source of compressed air externally of the combustor (12) to facilitate the delivery of compressed air from the source into the combustor (12).

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor is provided, having a an annular single wall sheet metal liner which is generally annular in shape and having disposed therethrough a multi-hole film cooling means which includes at least one pattern of small closely spaced film cooling holes angled sharply in the downstream direction and angled in a circumferential direction wherein the circumferential angle generally coincides with the swirl angle of the flow along the surface of the liner. Another embodiment provides a corrugated aircraft engine sheet metal combustor liner which forms an axially extending wavy wall to help resist buckling, particularly useful for outer liners in the combustion section of the engine and in the exhaust section of gas turbine engines incorporating afterburners.

Abstract: In a gas turbine combustion chamber with an annular flame tube, the latter is essentially composed of wall pieces (18) which overlap in the circumferential direction. The wall pieces (18) are elements, curved in the turbine axial direction, the cooling air being directed in a circumferential direction along the external sides thereof facing towards the collector volume (6). The cooling air flowing out of the overlap gaps (22) is deflected in a cascade (29) before entry into the combustion volume (15).

Abstract: A perforated sheet for the promotion of film cooling a gas turbine engine comprises two separate layers of laminate material which are placed in superposed abutting relationship. The first layer has a plurality of apertures of given cross-sectional area therein. The second layer also has a plurality of apertures therein which have larger cross-sectional areas than the corresponding apertures in the first layer. The apertures in the first layer are in fluid communication with the apertures in the second layer to form passageways through the perforated sheet. These passageways permit a cooling flow of fluid to pass through the perforated sheet so it can be discharged as a cooling fluid film along the inner surface of the perforated sheet. The apertures in each layer are independently formed to produce the passageways. The apertures can easily be machined to the desired size, shape, and angle to optimize the cooling film effectiveness for any particular application.

Abstract: A combustor effective for reducing exhaust emissions is disclosed. The combustor includes first and second liners defining a primary combustion zone, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced carburetors. Each of the carburetors includes a fuel injector providing fuel into an air swirler for mixing the air and fuel and providing a fuel/air mixture into the combustor primary zone. The combustor also includes means for obtaining a fuel distribution from each of the carburetors extending radially from a first liner upstream end through a center region of the combustor to a second liner upstream end with values of the fuel distribution at the center region being generally no greater than about values of the fuel distribution adjacent to at least one of the first and second liners. The first and second liners have upstream portions characterized by the absence of film cooling thereof.

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 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: A circumferentially stirred variable residence time vortex combustor including a primary combustion chamber for containing an annular combustion vortex and a first plurality of louvres peripherally disposed about the primary combuston chamber and longitudinally distributed along its primary axis, the louvres inclined to impel air circumferentially about the primary axis within the primary combustion chamber, to cool its interior surfaces, to impel air inwardly to assist in driving the annular combustion vortex in a helical path, and to feed combustion in the primary combustion chamber. The vortex combustor further includes a second annular combustion chamber and a narrow annular waist region interconnecting the output of the primary combustion chamber with the second annular combustion chamber for passing only lower density particles and trapping higher density particles for substantial combustion in the annular combustion vortex of the primary annular combustion chamber.

Abstract: A circumferentially stirred variable residence time vortex slinger combuster, includes a primary combustion chamber for containing an annular combustion vortex and a first group of louvres peripherally disposed about the primary combustion chamber and distributed along its primary axis. The louvres are inclined to impel air circumferentially about the primary axis within the primary combustion chamber to cool its interior surfaces, to impel air inwardly to assist in driving the annular combustor vortex in a helical path, and to feed combustion in the primary combustion chamber. The slinger combustor further includes a second annular combustion chamber and a narrow annular waist region interconnecting the output of the primary combustion chamber with the second annular combustion chamber. The waist region passes only lower density particles and traps higher density particles for substantial combustion in the annular combustion vortex of the primary annular combustion chamber.

Abstract: Reliable starting of air breathing turbines even at high altitude is assured in a turbine engine of the type including an annular combustor 26 by locating one or more start injectors 96 away from the bottom of the combustor 26 and making the bottom of the combustor 26 free of start injector 96.

Abstract: The combustion dynamics and efficiency of a gas turbine having an annular combustor 26 provided with fuel injection nozzles 50 that inject fuel generally tangentially is improved by providing the walls 32, 34, 39 of the combustor 26 with cooling air film injectors 70, 86; 72, 88; 74, 90 at substantially equally angularly spaced locations about each such wall and which are oriented to generally tangentially inject a film-like air stream on the associated wall 32, 34, 39.

Abstract: The pre-combustion chamber (1), in which liquid fuel is burnt sub-stoichiometrically, is connected upstream of a secondary combustion chamber (16), in which complete combustion takes place over-stoichiometrically. The sub-stoichiometric quantity of combustion air (11) for the pre-combustion chamber (2) is injected close to the wall from the outlet duct (3) upwards into the casing (2), which has a heart-shaped axial cross-section. The injection nozzles (7) for the fuel are positioned so that the jets of fuel (8) shield the layer of combustion air close to the wall from the partially burnt combustion mixture flowing through the outlet duct (3) into the secondary combustion chamber (16). At the end of the outlet duct (3) the quantity of auxiliary air required for complete combustion in the secondary combustion chamber (16) is added to the partially burnt combustion mixture.

Abstract: The cost of fuel injection nozzles 50 and their tendency to clog in a gas turbine having an annular combustor 26 can be reduced by alternating the fuel injection nozzles 50 with bender jets 56 configured to introduce a combustion supporting gas into an annular combustion zone 40 at locations between the fuel injectors 50 to achieve uniform turbine inlet temperature distribution while requiring fewer of the nozzles 50 and allowing those nozzles 50 that are utilized to have larger fluid flow paths that are less prone to clogging.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor is provided with a semi-spherical upstream wall constituted by two correspondingly shaped skins which are spaced apart by pedestals attached to one of the skins to define a space between them. Cooling air is progressively metered into to space through apertures in the first upstream skin to provide effective cooling of the second downstream skin. The cooling air is exhausted from the space through an outlet defined by the first skin and the periphery of the second skin to provide film coating of the upstream end of the combustor side wall.

Abstract: A heat shield assembly includes a supporting structure having an outer surface to be shielded from a hot fluid, the supporting structure having cooling fluid ducts formed therein; and an internal lining formed of heat-resistant material, the internal lining including mutually adjacent mushroom-shaped heat shield elements each having a cap portion in the form of a polygonal plate body having a central region, the plate bodies each covering a portion of the outer surface of the supporting structure and defining cooling fluid gaps therebetween, and a shaft portion thermally moveably anchoring the central region of the plate body to the supporting structure.

Abstract: A variable residence time vortex combustor including a primary combustion chamber for containing a combustion vortex, and a plurality of louvres peripherally disposed about the primary combustion chamber and longitudinally distributed along its primary axis. The louvres are inclined to impel air about the primary combustion chamber to cool its interior surfaces and to impel air inwardly to assist in driving the combustion vortex in a first rotational direction and to feed combustion in the primary combustion chamber. The vortex combustor also includes a second combustion chamber having a secondary zone and a narrowed waist region in the primary combustion chamber interconnecting the output of the primary combustion chamber with the secondary zone for passing only lower density particles and trapping higher density particles in the combustion vortex in the primary combustion chamber for substantial combustion.

Abstract: A combustor of a gas turbine having a double wall construction in one part of the combustor, wherein an outer plate is formed with a multiplicity of cooling air inlet apertures and an inner plate is formed with a multiplicity of cooling air outlet apertures. The inner and outer plates are connected together by a multiplicity of connectors formed of heat conductive material and define therebetween a space. The cooling air inlet apertures are greater in diameter but smaller in total area than the cooling air outlet apertures which are inclined at an angle of 30 degrees. Cooling air introduced into the space through the cooling air inlet apertures impinge on the inner surface of the inner plate and performs impinge cooling while the connectors perform pin fin cooling. The cooling air also performs film cooling as it flows along the outer surface of the inner plate after cooling the walls of the cooling air outlet apertures while being released.

Abstract: A refilmer for the combustion/dilution air hole of a floatwall panel of the combustor of a gas turbine engine carries a 180.degree. lip extending in, the hot gas stream of the combustor having a projection projecting in the combustion/dilution air hole to divert a portion of the air stream to form the film on the inner surface of the segmented panel. The refilmer is formed integrally with the segmented panel and carries a shoulder bearing against the inner surface of the shell defining a spacer. Forming the combustion/dilution air hole integrally with the segmented panel allows the air hole to be located in any efficacious location for effectuating optimum combustion.

Abstract: A process for producing work comprises passing a combustion gas stream through a gas nozzle which directs the stream onto the rotatable blades of an expansion turbine. A fluid having a sonic velocity greater than the combustion gas is directed against and across the air-foil shaped vanes which form the nozzle at sonic velocity allowing the gas stream to accelerate to beyond Mach 1 without excessive loss of pressure. The fluid such as steam can be used to cool the vanes prior to entering the gas stream.

Abstract: The combustion dynamics and efficiency of gas turbine having an annular combustor 26 provided with fuel injection nozzles 50 that inject fuel generally tangentially is improved by providing the walls 32, 34, 39 of the combustion 26 with cooling air film injectors 70, 86; 72, 88; 74, 90 at substantially equally angularly spaced locations about each such wall and which are oriented to generally tangentially inject a film-like air stream on the associated wall 32, 34, 39.