Abstract: A combustor includes an inlet flow conditioner. The inlet flow conditioner includes a sleeve that circumferentially surrounds a portion of a fuel nozzle assembly and that extends from a forward end of a combustion liner to an inner surface of an end cover. The sleeve defines a plurality of apertures circumferentially spaced about the sleeve. A portion of the inner surface of the end cover and the sleeve define a head end volume of the combustor. An inlet to a premix passage of at least one fuel nozzle of the fuel nozzle assembly is disposed within and is in fluid communication with the head end volume.

Abstract: A gas turbine that includes a working fluid flowpath extending aftward from a forward injector in a combustor. The combustor may include an inner radial wall, an outer radial wall, and, therebetween, a flow annulus. A staged injector may intersect the flow annulus so to attain an injection point within the working fluid flowpath by which aftward and forward annulus sections are defined. Air directing structure may include an aftward intake section that corresponds to the aftward annulus section and a forward intake section that corresponds to the forward annulus section. The air directing structure may be configured to: direct air entering through the aftward intake section through the aftward annulus section in a forward direction to the staged injector; and direct air entering through the forward intake section through the forward annulus section in a forward direction to the forward injector.

Abstract: A gas turbine that includes: a combustor coupled to a turbine that define a working fluid flowpath; a compressor discharge cavity; a staged injection system that includes the forward injector and a staged injector; a stator blade positioned extending across the working fluid flowpath between an inboard sidewall and an outboard sidewall. A one-way continuous coolant flowpath that includes: an intake section that comprises an upstream port connected to the compressor discharge cavity and a downstream port formed through one of the inboard and outboard sidewalls; an outtake section that comprises a downstream port connected to the staged injector and an upstream port formed through the same one of the inboard and outboard sidewalls; and a cooling circuit extending through an interior of the airfoil of the stator blade and connecting to the downstream port of the intake section and the upstream port of the outtake section.

Abstract: A gas turbine including a working fluid flowpath extending aftward from a forward injector in a combustor. The combustor may include an inner radial wall, an outer radial wall, and, therebetween, a flow annulus, and a third radial wall formed about the outer radial wall that forms an outer flow annulus. A staged injector may intersect the flow annulus so to attain an injection point within the working fluid flowpath by which aftward and forward annulus sections are defined. Air directing structure may include an aftward intake section corresponding to the aftward annulus section and a forward intake section corresponding to the forward annulus section. The air directing structure may include a switchback coolant flowpath to direct air from the compressor discharge cavity to the staged injector. The switchback coolant flowpath may include an upstream section through the flow annulus, and a downstream section through the outer flow annulus.

Abstract: A micromixer injector includes a fuel plenum to receive a supply of fuel. A plurality of premixing tubes extend through the fuel plenum. Each tube has a plurality of fuel holes formed therein to receive the supply of fuel for mixing with air in the tube. The micromixer has a tapering profile such that an overall inlet area of the plurality of premixing tubes on an upstream face of the micromixer is larger than an overall outlet area of the plurality of premixing tubes on a downstream face such that the plurality of premixing tubes are relatively spaced-apart at the upstream face and more densely packed at the downstream face. Additionally, an air inlet of each tube has a first geometrical shape and the outlet of each tube has a second geometrical shape that is different from the first geometrical shape.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a bundled tube type fuel nozzle assembly. The fuel nozzle assembly includes a fuel plenum body including a forward plate, an aft plate, an outer band that extends between the forward plate and the aft plate and a fuel plenum defined within the fuel plenum body. A plurality of tubes extends through the fuel plenum. Each tube of the plurality of tubes includes an inlet defined along an outer surface of the forward plate and an outlet defined downstream from the inlet. The forward plate defines a plurality of fuel inlet slots that is in fluid communication with the fuel plenum. Each fuel inlet slot extends radially outwardly with respect to an axial centerline of the fuel plenum body along the outer surface of the forward plate.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a panel fuel injector having a first side wall that defines a plurality of first side injection outlets and a second side wall that defines a plurality of second side injection outlets. A premix air plenum, a fuel plenum, a plurality of first side premixing channels and a plurality of second side premixing channels are defined between the first side wall and the second side wall. Each first side premixing channel is in fluid communication with the premix air plenum, the fuel plenum and a respective first side injection outlet of the plurality of first side injection outlets. Each second side premixing channel is in fluid communication with the premix air plenum, the fuel plenum and a respective second side injection outlet of the plurality of second side injection outlets.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an integrated combustor nozzle for a segmented annular combustion system. The integrated combustor nozzle includes an outer liner segment, an inner liner segment, and a fuel injection panel extending radially between the outer liner segment and the inner liner segment. The fuel injection panel includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and a plurality of premixing channels between the first and second side walls, each of the premixing channels having an outlet on one of the first and second side walls. The aft end of the fuel injection panel defines a turbine nozzle.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a segmented annular combustion system including a first panel fuel injector including a premix air plenum, a fuel plenum, and a plurality of first side premixing channels, where each first side premixing channel is in fluid communication with the premix air plenum, the fuel plenum, and a respective first side injection aperture of a plurality of first side injection apertures. A second panel fuel injector is circumferentially spaced from the first panel fuel injector and includes a premix air plenum, a fuel plenum, and a plurality of second side premixing channels where each second side premixing channel is in fluid communication with the premix air plenum, the fuel plenum, and a respective second side injection aperture of a plurality of second side injection apertures. A fuel nozzle is disposed circumferentially between the first panel fuel injection and the second panel fuel injector.

Abstract: An annular combustion system includes a fuel nozzle, a panel fuel injector including a fuel plenum and at least one premixing channel therein, an inner liner including an inner band radially spaced from an outer band and an inner flow annulus formed therebetween, and an outer liner radially spaced from the inner liner and comprising an inner band radially spaced from an outer band and an outer flow annulus formed therebetween. The fuel nozzle is positioned radially between the inner liner and the outer liner, and the panel fuel injector extends radially between the inner liner and the outer liner. At least one of the inner flow passage and the outer flow passage is in fluid communication with at least one of a premix air plenum, a cooling air cavity and a cooling air plenum defined within the panel fuel injector.

Abstract: An annular combustion system includes a fuel nozzle, a panel fuel injector including a fuel plenum and at least one premixing channel therein, an inner liner having a hot side surface and a cool side surface and an outer liner having a hot side surface and a cool side surface. The inner liner, the outer liner and the panel fuel injector partially define a hot gas path downstream from the fuel nozzle. The inner liner and/or the outer liner define a plurality of micro-channel cooling passages which is disposed between the hot side surface and cool side surface of the inner liner. Each micro-channel cooling passage of the first plurality of micro-channel cooling passages is in fluid communication with an inlet hole defined along the cool side surface of the respective liner and an outlet hole.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a fuel injection module for a segmented annular combustion system. The fuel injection module includes a housing body, a fuel nozzle portion, and at least one fuel injection lance. The fuel nozzle portion is fluidly coupled to a fuel nozzle plenum within the housing body, and the at least one fuel injection lance is fluidly coupled to an injector fuel plenum within the housing body. In some cases, the fuel nozzle portion is a bundled tube fuel nozzle having one or more subsets of tubes. The fuel injection lances are positioned along a radial side of the housing body or circumferentially between two subsets of tubes. Liquid fuel cartridges extend through the fuel nozzle portion, the fuel injection lances, or both.

Abstract: A segmented annular combustion system includes integrated combustor nozzles, each of which has a fuel injection panel disposed radially between an inner liner segment and an outer liner segment. The fuel injection panel includes an aft end portion, a first side wall, a second side wall, premixing channels defined between the first side wall and the side wall, and injection outlets defined along at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall. The aft end portion defines a turbine nozzle portion. An interior portion between the first side wall and the second side wall includes walls that extend between the first and second side walls, thereby partitioning the interior portion into discrete air cavities. The liner segments may be cooled by micro-channel cooling passages, which may be fluidly coupled to a collection trough.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a radially stacked fuel injection module for a segmented annular combustion system. The fuel injection module includes a bundled tube fuel nozzle portion and a plurality of fuel injection lances. In one instance, a first set of fuel injection lances and a second set of fuel injection lances share a housing with the bundled tube fuel nozzle. The first and second sets of fuel injection lances are radially stacked, each set of lances being in communication with a respective injector fuel plenum. The fuel injection lances deliver fuel to a respective premixing channel formed between the side walls of an integrated combustor nozzle, an aft end of which defines a turbine nozzle. In another instance, the bundled tube fuel nozzle may be provided as a radially inner fuel nozzle and a radially outer fuel nozzle, each with a respective bundled tube fuel plenum.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to the operation and turndown of a segmented annular combustion system. The method includes injecting, via a fuel nozzle, a combustible mixture into a primary combustion zone between an adjacent pair of integrated combustor nozzles and burning the combustible mixture. The method further includes flowing air and injecting fuel into a premixing channel defined within a first integrated combustor nozzle to produce a second combustible mixture. The second combustible mixture is injected into a secondary combustion zone where it is combusted. The flow of combustion gases is accelerated, via turbine nozzles of the integrated combustor nozzles, toward turbine blades of a downstream turbine section. The method permits turndown of the combustion system by reducing or shutting off fuel to various components of the combustion system.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an annular combustion system. The annular combustion system includes an inner liner and an outer liner that define therebetween an annulus that circumscribes a centerline of the combustion system. The annulus includes a plurality of primary combustion zones defined at an upstream end thereof and further defines a plurality of secondary combustion zones downstream of the primary combustion zones. The annular combustion system further includes a plurality of fuel nozzles where at least one fuel nozzle discharges a combustible mixture into a respective primary combustion zone of the plurality of primary combustion zones. A plurality of panel fuel injectors is disposed between adjacent fuel nozzles. The plurality of panel fuel injectors extends in an axially downstream direction so as to separate adjacent primary combustion zones. Each panel fuel injector discharges a combustible mixture into at least one secondary combustion zone.

Abstract: A segmented annular combustion system includes an alternating arrangement of fuel nozzles and integrated combustor nozzles. The fuel nozzles deliver fuel to the primary combustion zones. The integrated combustor nozzles include an inner liner segment, an outer liner segment, and a fuel injection panel extending between the liner segments. The fuel injection panel includes injection outlets on one or both side walls to deliver a combustible mixture to the secondary combustion zones. Each fuel injection panel, which provides a boundary between adjacent primary and secondary combustion zones, includes an aft end that defines a turbine nozzle. The segmented annular combustion system is part of a gas turbine.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a combustion system including a panel fuel injector. The panel fuel injector includes a first side wall, a second side wall, and an aft wall. The first side wall and the second side wall are interconnected by the aft wall. The panel fuel injector further includes a cooling air plenum that is defined between the first side wall and the second side wall. The aft wall defines a plurality of cooling holes in fluid communication with the cooling air plenum. One or more of the cooling holes of the plurality of cooling holes is oriented towards at least one of a leading edge, a pressure side wall, or a suction side wall of a stationary nozzle disposed proximate to the aft end wall.

Abstract: A segmented annular combustion system includes integrated combustor nozzles, each of which has a fuel injection panel disposed radially between an inner liner segment and an outer liner segment. The fuel injection panel includes an aft end portion, a first side wall, a second side wall, premixing channels defined between the first side wall and the side wall, and injection outlets defined along at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall. The aft end portion defines a turbine nozzle portion. An interior portion between the first side wall and the second side wall includes walls that extend between the first and second side walls, thereby partitioning the interior portion into discrete air cavities. The air cavities and the liner segments may be cooled by impingement inserts or panels.

Abstract: A segmented annular combustion system with dual fuel capability includes an alternating arrangement of fuel injection modules and integrated combustor nozzles. The fuel injection module includes a bundled tube fuel nozzle portion and fuel injection lances, which are fluidly coupled via conduits to respective fuel plenums. A liquid fuel cartridge is disposed within the bundled tube fuel nozzle portion, within one of the plurality of fuel injection lances, or within both the bundled tube fuel nozzle portion and one of the plurality of fuel injection lances. A gas turbine having the segmented annular combustion system is also provided.