Air Directed To Flow Along Inner Surface Of Liner Dome Patents (Class 60/756)
  • Patent number: 5680766
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Narendra D. Joshi, Paul R. Angel, James M. Caldwell, Paul V. Heberling, Anthony J. Dean
  • Patent number: 5653110
    Abstract: A jet engine component, such as an aircraft gas turbine engine rotor blade or a scramjet engine fuel injector. The component has a wall portion including a first surface exposable to a cooler, higher static pressure fluid and a second surface exposable to a hotter, lower static pressure gas flow flowing across the second surface. The component further includes a generally straight film coolant passageway having an inlet on the first surface and an outlet on the second surface. The second surface has a seamless groove which is open substantially entirely along its longitudinal dimension extending from the outlet along the lower static pressure gas flow for improved film cooling of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ching-Pang Lee, Nesim Abuaf, Paul Stuart Wilson
  • Patent number: 5630319
    Abstract: A dome assembly for a multiple annular combustor is disclosed as including an annular dome plate having at least two radial domes, wherein each of the radial domes include a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings therein. A heat shield is positioned within each of the openings, with a threaded forward end located upstream of the dome plate and an aft end located downstream of the dome plate. A retainer nut with threads formed on an annular surface thereof is matingly engagable with the forward end of each heat shield. When the retainer nut is tightened onto the heat shield forward end, the heat shield is mechanically attached to the dome plate. Preferably, at least one centerbody extends axially downstream from either the radially outer or inner side of the aft end. The dome assembly includes a ferrule within each of the dome plate openings for receiving an air/fuel mixer therein, the ferrule having an annular sealing flange extending radially therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jan C. Schilling, Edward C. Vickers
  • Patent number: 5619855
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine is disclosed which is able to operate efficiently at inlet air flows having a high subsonic Mach Number. The combustor has an outer liner and an inner liner spaced therefrom, wherein a combustion chamber is defined therebetween. A dome inlet module is provided which is in flow communication with compressed air flow from a compressor upstream thereof. The dome inlet module has an outer member fixed to the outer liner and an inner member fixed to the inner liner, wherein a flow passage is defined by the outer and inner members for the compressed air flow to flow freely from a compressor to the combustion chamber. Fuel atomizers are then utilized to inject fuel into the flow passage so that the fuel is mixed with the compressed air stream to form a fuel/air mixture which enters the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: David L. Burrus
  • Patent number: 5581999
    Abstract: Bulkhead 14 is conical and therefore the surface of bulkhead liners 30 has a curved or arcuate surface 68. Raised lip 70 with planar surface 72 is adjacent and surrounded in each opening 20. Fuel nozzle guide 24 may be rotated against and sealed to the surface of the liner segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5577379
    Abstract: Fuel nozzle guide 24 is threaded to fuel nozzle guide retainer 26, entrapping bulkhead 14, bulkhead liner 30 and key washer 28. Internal tabs 74 lock within slot 76 in the threads of the fuel nozzle guide. External tabs 78 of the key washer are bent into slot 80 of the retainer 26, after the nozzle guide 24 and the retainer are threaded together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5509270
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine annular combustor has a bulkhead at its upstream end which is protected by an annular array of heatshield segments. The segments are spaced apart from the bulkhead by means of a plurality of flanges. Cooling air apertures provided in the bulkhead direct cooling air into the space between the heatshield and the bulkhead. A portion of the cooling air is directed on to the downstream face of heatshield by means of a plurality of radially extending slots disposed around a fuel nozzle aperture in the centre of each heatshield segment. The slots provide for unrestrained thermal expansion of the heatshield region immediately surrounding the fuel nozzle aperture, thereby to prevent excessive thermal hoop stresses developing in the heatshield during engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Donald E. Pearce, Michael J. Westlake
  • Patent number: 5490389
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor (16) is provided with an airspray fuel injector (24), the downstream end of which is coplanar with a heat shield (38) provided at the upstream end of the combustor (16). The fuel injector (24) injects a fuel and air mixture into the combustion chamber (16a) defined within the combustor (16) which is in the form of a cone having an angle greater than 130.degree.. The combustor (16) has enhanced weak extinction characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Andrew Harrison, Keith Park
  • Patent number: 5479774
    Abstract: Overrich regions of fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine are dispersed by a jet of air directed into the region. Plumes of fuel/air mixture from adjacent airspray burners overlap to create overrich regions which tend to produce soot. Aligned apertures in the head of the combustion chamber direct jets of high pressure air at the regions with as little loss of momentum as possible, to disperse them. The apertures may be in the form of slots to provide fan-shaped jets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Anthony D. Burnell, Peter D. Price
  • Patent number: 5421158
    Abstract: A double annular combustor having concentrically disposed inner and outer annular combustors is provided with inner and outer domes. A centerbody is disposed between the inner and outer domes and is constructed of a plurality of substantially rectangular segments positioned such that circumferential gaps between adjacent centerbody segments align alternatively with and between carburetors positioned in the inner and outer domes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Stenger, Kenneth E. Monson, Robert A. Frederick, Madeleine E. Fessler, Eugene N. Tuley
  • Patent number: 5419115
    Abstract: An assembly of a bulkhead 48 and fuel nozzle guide 62 for a fuel nozzle 46 disposed in a combustion chamber 24 is disclosed. Various construction details which provide for positively cooling components of the assembly are developed. In one detailed embodiment, the nozzle fuel guide is spaced from the bulkhead to form an annular gap G.sub.1 which is divided by a heat shield 72 into annular orifices 108, 112 for supplying to cooling air passages 126, 128 bounded by the heat shield 72.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron Butler, Roger J. Comeau, Franklin J. Davis, James R. Harders, Thomas J. Malitsky, Randy McKinney, Gordon Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 5417069
    Abstract: A separator for an annular gas turbine engine combustion chamber is disclosed having a plurality of separator segments arranged in a generally annular configuration to form an annular separator extending from an upstream end wall of a combustion chamber into the combustion chamber so as to separate first and second combustion zones within the combustion chamber. Each of the separator segments has a hollow interior defined by a front wall, an outer wall, an inner wall which has at least a portion tapering or converging towards the outer wall in a direction extending away from the front wall, and first and second sides. The sides define an array of holes communicating with the hollow interior, the positioning of the array of holes on a first sides being different from that of the array of holes on the second sides such that the axes of the holes are out of alignment with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Societe Nationale D'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs D'Aviation (S.N.E.C.M.A.)
    Inventors: Jean-Paul D. Alary, Michel A. A. Desaulty, Christophe Pieussergues, Denis J. M. Sandelis, Pierre M. V. E. Schroer
  • Patent number: 5396759
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine annular combustor having a bulkhead at its upstream end which is thermally protected by an annular array of heat shields. Each heat shield is provided with integral flanges which space apart the heat shields and bulkhead to define chambers therebetween. Apertures in the bulkhead direct cooling air into the chambers. Further apertures in the heat shields exhaust the cooling air in a common circumferential direction so that the air flows merge to define a substantially continuous annular flow of cooling air about the longitudinal axis of the combustor and across the downstream heat shield faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John S. Richardson
  • Patent number: 5353587
    Abstract: A film starter structure for a combustor of a gas turbine engine which includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending ribs formed on a radially inner surface of a forward section of an outer combustor liner adjacent a combustor dome. An annular ring overlays the ribs for defining a plurality of air passages. A support extends from the combustor dome and supports the outer liner about the dome. Compressor discharge air is introduced into the air passages and exits the air passages along the inner surface of the outer liner for establishing a cooling film barrier on the outer combustor liner surface. A spring seal between the combustor dome and the inner ring seats the dome within the ring and establishes a seal for preventing leakage air therebetween and allowing independent radial expansion of the liner and dome by compressing the spring seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ely E. Halila
  • Patent number: 5331815
    Abstract: An impact resistant cowl structure for a gas turbine engine mounted in front of the combustor dome of the engine having a concave dish-like center for capturing incident debris which is bounded by a pair of forward protruding elbows that transition into outwardly and rearwardly extending mounting legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James N. Reinhold, Jr., Mark P. Hammerl, Scott D. Zimmerle
  • Patent number: 5329772
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David O. Fitts, John S. Haydon, Neil S. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 5317864
    Abstract: Difficulties in downsizing annular combustors (20) due to orienting fuel injectors with respect to oxidant blast tubes are avoided in a construction for a combustor (20) including radially spaced annular walls (22, 24) and an interconnecting radial wall (26) defining an annular combustion chamber (32). A plurality of circumferentially spaced tubes (28, 30) extend through the radially outermost annular wall (24) and are directed generally tangentially into the combustion space (32). A plurality of fuel injectors (42) are provided for directing fuel radially inwardly into the space (32) and are circumferentially spaced about the combustion space (32) and located between the tubes (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1994
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Linn C. Shorb, Michael W. Sledd, Jack R. Shekleton
  • Patent number: 5307637
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard W. Stickles, Howard L. Foltz, Keith K. Taylor, George E. Cook, Thomas MacLean, Willard J. Dodds
  • Patent number: 5297385
    Abstract: An annular combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a sector in the primary combustion zone that operates at a reduced level of airflow than the remaining portion of the combustor by providing fixed air openings in the dome or fuel nozzles and in the combustion air admission holes. This allows the combustor to operate at higher fuel/air ratios with a minimum of complexity in the hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas L. Dubell, James H. Shadowen
  • Patent number: 5271219
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine annular combustor (16) has a bulkhead (19) at its upstream end which is protected by an annular array of heatshields (32). Each of the heatshields (32) is spaced apart from the bulkhead (19) by flanges (37, 38,39,40) on the upstream heatshield face. Cooling air entry apertures (47) provided in the bulkhead (19) direct cooling air into the space (36) between the bulkhead (19) and each heatshield (32). The flanges (37,38,39,40) direct the cooling air so that some flows towards a fuel burner aperture (35) in the center of each heatshield (32) while the remainder flows towards the heatshield (32) edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: John S. Richardson
  • Patent number: 5265425
    Abstract: A combustor includes radially spaced apart outer and inner liners joined together at upstream ends through an annular dome disposed coaxially about a longitudinal centerline axis. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart fuel injectors are disposed adjacent to an arcuate a splashplate for injecting fuel thereagainst, the splashplate being arcuate about the centerline axis. Primary air is channeled along the splashplate for mixing with the injected fuel for forming a fuel/air mixture dischargeable from the splashplate into a combustion zone defined between the liners and the dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Stephen J. Howell
  • Patent number: 5239832
    Abstract: A backing support or bumper mounted downstream of the disk shaped flange of the venturi in adjacently lying fuel cup assemblies and extends to a mid portion of each flange to prevent rotation of the flange and possible disengagement of the fuel nozzle in the event of a bird strike or impact by a foreign object on the dome of the combustor or on the flange itself. The invention provides for a single or double supporting bumper faces or a pair of supporting surfaces on the bumper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John M. Koshoffer, James N. Cooper, Mary C. Haas, James N. Reinhold, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5195315
    Abstract: An annular combustion chamber for a gas turbine engine establishes two toroidal primary combustion zones. This provides high combustion capacity in a short combustor. Airflow is introduced in a manner to establish the flow pattern of the vortices, and the fuel is introduced in a manner avoiding destruction of the vortices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Holladay
  • Patent number: 5165226
    Abstract: An annular combustor liner (30) includes louvers (52, 54, 56, 70, 72) for inducing the formation of a single toroidal vortex (68) adjacent a domed upstream portion (34) of the liner (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Newton, Alex Prociw, Frank Shum
  • Patent number: 5142871
    Abstract: A combustor dome includes an annular dome plate having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures in a central portion thereof for receiving a plurality of carburetors. The dome plate also includes outer and inner support portions for joining the dome plate to combustion liners. Each of the support portions include a first leg extending from the central portion, a second leg, and an arcuate apex joining the first and second legs. The apex has a uniform thickness and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced coolant apertures for channeling cooling air therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Elias H. Lampes, Clifford E. Allen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5129231
    Abstract: The heatshield for the fuel nozzles mounted at the dome of an annular combustor for a gas turbine engine is cooled by discretely locating cool air film cooling holes in the heatshield oriented to inject the cooling air with the recirculation zone to be compatible with the direction of the swirling air in the recirculated zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James T. Becker, Thomas A. Auxier
  • Patent number: 5050385
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor has an inner cylinder provided with a multiplicity of louvers for introducing cooling air and a plurality of air ports for introducing combustion air. The portions of the inner cylinder wall at both ends of each louver, where the concentration of stress due to thermal stress is heaviest, is reinforced by build-up welding thereby to prevent cracking at these portions of the cylinder wall. The build-up welding effectively stops the propagation of crack happened to be caused in the inner cylinder wall for any reason. The portions of the inner cylinder wall around the air ports also may be reinforced by build-up welding over the entire peripheries of these air ports. The build-up weld on the periphery of each air port prevents any crack from being propagated to the brim of each air port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumiyuki Hirose, Nobuyuki Iizuka
  • Patent number: 5012645
    Abstract: Floating panel heat shields 26 cover the walls of a combustor with a portion of the cooling air 32 passing upstream. The dome heat shield 36 has a lip 42 overlapping a portion of the wall hot shield 26. Dome 16 at location 44 deflects cooling flow 32 forcing it inwardly against lip 42 to improve cooling of lip 42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Harold G. Reynolds
  • Patent number: 4949545
    Abstract: Problems involving the cooling of a front turbine shroud having a radial section 110 and an axial section 112 connected by a radius 114 and employed in a turbine engine are minimized or eliminated by telescoping the radially outer wall 34 of an annular combustor 26 into the axial section 112 and radially spacing the same inwardly therefrom. An inlet 128 in fluid communication with the compressed air source of the turbine extends to a swirling strip 130 which between the radially outer wall 34 and the axial section 112 and generates a film of cooling air and applies it to the radius 114 of the front shroud 27 to cool the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Jack R. Shekleton
  • Patent number: 4934145
    Abstract: A segmented heat shield (36) is provided for an annular combustor bulkhead (20). The shield segments (38) define a backside cooling volume (44) which receives a flow of cooling air (66) for protecting the shield segment (38) from the high temperature combustion reaction (34). A region of extended heat transfer surface (68) on the shield backside (42) increases heat transfer effectiveness, while backside raised ridges (60, 62, 64) direct the cooling air (66) for achieving a more even distribution before being exhausted (50) adjacent the combustor liners (12, 14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Melvin H. Zeisser
  • Patent number: 4930306
    Abstract: Carbon buildup in a turbine engine including a compressor 16 coupled to a turbine wheel 22 mounted for rotation about an axis and having a nozzle 24 disposed to direct gas at the turbine wheel 22 to drive the same, an annular combustor 26 disposed about the axis and in fluid communication with the nozzle 24 and having a radially inner wall 32, a radially outer wall 34 and a generally radially extending wall 46, a plurality of fuel injectors 48, a compressed air plenum 42, 44, 45 surrounding the combustor 26, a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures 66 in the radial wall 34 and a cooling strip 68 for directing air passing through the apertures 66 along the radial wall 39 is reduced by locating the apertures 66 closely adjacent the radially outer part of the radial wall 39 and locating the cooling strips 68 to direct air passing through the apertures 66 inwardly as at 72 along the radial wall 39.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Jack R. Shekleton
  • Patent number: 4928479
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Jack R. Shekleton, Colin Rodgers, John P. Archibald
  • Patent number: 4916905
    Abstract: The head assembly of a combustion chamber, within which burning of mixed fuel and air takes place, is fixed to surrounding structure in a manner which enables differential expansions of the parts of which the assembly is comprised, without generating stresses through reaction of one part upon another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1990
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Peter Havercroft, Brian Henderson
  • Patent number: 4914918
    Abstract: A deflector assembly (20) includes an annular plate portion (28) with pairs of parallel substantially radial slots (30). Truncated pie shaped segments (34) are secured (32, 36) to the plate with cooling air (40, 52) directed between the segments and the plate. Extended cooling surface (48) increases the cooling effect of the airflow. The segments are free from thermal fight and direct the discharged cooling air to help cool the remaining exposed bulkhead surface or shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Dennis J. Sullivan
  • Patent number: 4870818
    Abstract: A nozzle guide structure (10) is provided for receiving a fuel nozzle (34) in an opening (30) in a planar bulkhead (28) of a combustion chamber (12). The guide structure (10) includes an inner bushing (44), a transverse heat shield (46), and an annular retainer (52) disposed opposite the heat shield (46) with respect to the bulkhead (28). Flow openings (62) disposed in the retainer (52) admit cooling air (64) into an annular gap (50) formed between the bushing (44) and the bulkhead (28). the cooling air (64) subsequently flow between the bulkhead (28) and the heat shield (46) to provide cooling thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Suliga
  • Patent number: 4864827
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1989
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: John Richardson, Anthony Pidcock
  • Patent number: 4843825
    Abstract: An annular combustor has a plurality of fuel injectors 14, each supporting a heat shield 30. Each shield has an overlap portion 42 deflecting cooling air passing between the shields, thereby avoiding a curtain of air between the flames of adjacent fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1989
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Jim A. Clark
  • Patent number: 4742684
    Abstract: A fuel vaporizer for a gas turbine engine combustion chamber comprises a hollow cylindrical stem open at one end and branching into two radial branch ducts at the other end which terminate in outlets facing towards the inlet end. In order to ensure more even cooling of the vaporizer stem, the fuel injector which lies inside the stem has two outlets which direct fuel onto those parts of the interior wall of the stem which lie between the branch passages, and a baffle divides the interior of the stem to ensure that each branch passage is fed with fuel from only one fuel injector, and each fuel injector supplies only one branch passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Arthur Sotheran
  • Patent number: 4695247
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1987
    Assignee: Director-General of the Agency of Industrial Science & Technology
    Inventors: Yoshiki Enzaki, Kazuki Kitahara, Satoru Terasaka, Kenji Mori, Takeshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 4693074
    Abstract: The present invention relates to combustion apparatus for gas turbine engines.An annular combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine comprises an upstream wall formed from a single metal skin. The upstream wall has a plurality of equi-spaced apertures, and a convergent/divergent pot is positioned coaxially with each aperture and extends in an upstream direction therefrom. Each convergent/divergent pot has a radial swirler assembly positioned a its upstream end to supply air into the convergent/divergent pot. A fuel injector is aligned with each convergent/divergent pot and radial swirler assembly to supply fuel into the convergent/divergent pot. A plurality of annular air scoops extend in an upstream direction from the upstream wall, and each annular air scoop is positioned coaxially around a convergent/divergent pot to supply air to the radial swirler assembly. The downstream end of each convergent/divergent pot has apertures for supplying cooling air over the downstream face of the upstream wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Anthony Pidcock, Andrew P. Wray
  • Patent number: 4561257
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustion apparatus for vaporizing fuel comprises a flame tube having an upstream end wall in which are located a number of flow guides having associated fuel ducts. In operation, fuel and air flow through the U-shaped duct in each guide and the fuel flows onto the inside of the end wall which acts as a vaporizing surface. The exterior of the end wall is cooled by a flow of air from the engine compressor. The invention avoids the need of vaporizing tubes within the flame tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1985
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Limited
    Inventors: William C. T. Kwan, Anthony Pidcock
  • Patent number: 4474014
    Abstract: A swirler for use in combustion chambers in which the vanes of the swirler are partially unshrouded to improve the mixing of fuel and air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Stanley J. Markowski
  • Patent number: 4380905
    Abstract: In order to cool the annular upstream wall of a gas turbine engine combustion chamber and thereby to prevent the deposition of carbon particles, the wall is formed of upstream and downstream portions which between them define a chamber arranged to receive a flow of cooling air. The downstream portion has a central opening for an airspray fuel burner and on each side of the opening the downstream portion has a pair of facets each facet having apertures for the throughflow of cooling air over the face of the downstream portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1983
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Limited
    Inventors: Richard B. Smart, Sidney E. Slattery
  • Patent number: 4365470
    Abstract: This invention relates to the construction of the fuel nozzle guide of a turbine power plant and provides sealing while allowing relative movement between the fuel nozzle and combustion liner, and includes the judicious location of cooling passages that permit constant cooling and purging for preventing local hot spots resulting from unwanted flame holding.CROSS REFERENCEThis invention is related to the invention disclosed in copending patent application entitled FUEL NOZZLE GUIDE HEAT SHIELD FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE, filed by S. C. Peterson, L. W. Stevens and I. S. Tanrikut on even date and assigned to the same assignee of this application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Matthews, David A. Washburn, Vito J. Sarli
  • Patent number: 4365477
    Abstract: Combustion apparatus for gas turbine engines has a combustion chamber (4,5) provided with fuel/air mixture injection devices (11) in an upstream end wall (9,10) of the chamber. Each device has a passage (17) having inlets (12,15) for air and fuel which mix in the passage and discharge through an outlet (19) initially in a direction along the adjacent surface of said chamber end wall (9,10). The latter wall has a secondary inlet (20) admitting a stream of air transversely to the flow from the passage outlet (19) thereby to generate an oblique flow (19A) having a component movement (Y) away from the combustion chamber wall. This directs inflammable mixture away from the latter wall and simultaneously assists mixing of air and fuel. A cooling film (24,24A) passing along the chamber wall passes over the passage wall (16) and, in certain examples, between the oblique flow and the chamber wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Limited
    Inventor: Donald E. Pearce
  • Patent number: 4322945
    Abstract: This invention relates to the construction of the heatshield of a fuel nozzle guide of a tubine power plant and provides the separation of the higher temperature operating structure from the cooler structure to assure that the expansion and contraction is permitted without undue restrain for increasing its durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1982
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven C. Peterson, Leonard W. Stevens, Ibrahim S. Tanrikut
  • Patent number: 4267698
    Abstract: To obtain uniform cooling of the wall (1) of a combustion chamber of a gas turbine, it is proposed to provide ridges (2) in the wall (1), with cooling-air nozzles (3) being inserted into the ridges. The cooling-air nozzles (3) thus do not project into the main gas stream and the cooling film can be guided in a rheologically favorable manner between the surface (11) which is to be cooled and the main gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1981
    Assignee: BBC Brown, Boveri & Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Max Hartmann, Ferdinand Thuringer
  • Patent number: 4241586
    Abstract: The disclosure is of a combustion chamber having prevaporizing pipes for the injection of fuel and shield cups intended to play the role of thermal barriers, upon which the hot jets issuing from the injectors are broken up. The shield cups have ribs toward which high velocity jets of air are directed, the jets of air issuing from small orifices. Other small orifices may addtionally open on a ridge of the ribs, so as to form supplementary jets of air convergent with the first set of jets of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1980
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation
    Inventors: Jacques E. J. Caruel, Guy D. Stora, Gilles M.-J. B. Schmitt
  • Patent number: 4222230
    Abstract: An improved cooling arrangement is provided for cooling a portion of a combustor dome assembly of a gas turbine engine. The improvement is comprised of an annular dome plate having a generally V-shaped cross section and including one or more circumferentially spaced apart, generally radial cooling slots within a surface which is exposed to the combustion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1980
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Melvin Bobo, Thomas L. DuBell
  • Patent number: RE34962
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Jack R. Shekleton, Colin Rodgers, John P. Archibald, Robert W. Smith