Abstract: A finely distributed combustion system for a gas turbine engine is provided. A combustor body may extend along a longitudinal axis. A premixer space may be formed within the combustor body to premix air and fuel. The premixer space is in communication with an array of finely distributed perforations arranged in a wall of the combustor body to eject an array of premixed main flamelets throughout a contour of the combustor body between the upstream base of the combustor body and the downstream base of the combustor body. The array of finely distributed perforations—potentially comprising thousands or even hundreds of thousands of perforations spatially distributed on a miniaturized scale—for ejecting the premixed main flamelets is technically advantageous compared to conventional distributed combustion systems, where injection of relatively longer main flames occurs just at a few discrete axial locations.

Abstract: Injector assemblies (12) and ducting arrangement (20) including such injector assemblies are provided. The injector assembly may include a reactant-guiding structure (16) arranged to convey a flow of reactants (19) into the combustion stage and means for injecting (24, 25, 26) a flow of air (22) into the combustion stage. The flow of air injected into the combustion stage may be arranged to condition interaction of the flow of reactants injected into the combustion stage with a cross-flow of combustion products (21), as the flow of reactants is admitted into the combustion stage.

Abstract: A finely distributed combustion system for a gas turbine engine is provided. A combustor body may extend along a longitudinal axis. A premixer space may be formed within the combustor body to premix air and fuel. The premixer space is in communication with an array of finely distributed perforations arranged in a wall of the combustor body to eject an array of premixed main flamelets throughout a contour of the combustor body between the upstream base of the combustor body and the downstream base of the combustor body.

Abstract: A combustor and a method involving burner mains structurally configured to damp vibrational modes that can develop under high-frequency combustion dynamics are provided. The combustor may include a carrier (12), and a plurality of mains (16) disposed in the carrier. Some of the mains (labeled with the letter X) include a body having a different structural feature relative to the respective bodies of the remaining mains. The mains with the different structural feature may be selectively grouped in the carrier to form at least one set of such mains effective to damp predefined vibrational modes in the combustor.

Abstract: A combustion system in a combustion turbine engine is provided. The system may include a combustor wall fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion products. The combustor wall may include a plurality of cooling air conduits. An injector assembly may be in fluid communication with the cooling fluid conduits to receive cooling fluid that passes through the cooling fluid conduits. Injector assembly includes means for injecting a flow of the cooling fluid into the combustion stage. The flow of the cooling fluid may be arranged to condition interaction of a flow of reactants injected to admix with the cross-flow of combustion products.

Abstract: Injector assemblies (12) and ducting arrangement (20) including such injector assemblies are provided. The injector assembly may include a reactant-guiding structure (16) arranged to convey a flow of reactants (19) into the combustion stage and means for injecting (24, 25, 26) a flow of air (22) into the combustion stage. The flow of air injected into the combustion stage may be arranged to condition interaction of the flow of reactants injected into the combustion stage with a cross-flow of combustion products (21), as the flow of reactants is admitted into the combustion stage.

Abstract: A cooling system for a fuel system in a turbine engine that is usable to cool a fuel nozzle is disclosed. The cooling system may include one or more cooling system housings positioned around the fuel nozzle, such that the cooling system housing forms a cooling chamber defined at least partially by an inner surface of the cooling system housing and an outer surface of the fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle may extend into a combustor chamber formed at least in part by a combustor housing. The fuel nozzle may include one or more fuel exhaust orifices with an opening in an outer surface of the fuel nozzle and configured to exhaust fluids unrestricted by the housing forming the cooling system cooling chamber. The cooling system may provide cooling fluids to cool the fuel nozzle within the cooling system cooling chamber regardless of whether the fuel nozzle is in use.

Abstract: A ducting arrangement (10) in a combustion stage downstream of a main combustion stage of a gas turbine engine is provided. A duct (18) is fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion gases from the main combustion stage. Duct (18) includes a duct segment (23) with an expanding cross-sectional area (24) where one or more injector assemblies (26) are disposed. Injector assembly (26) includes one or more reactant-guiding structures (27) arranged to deliver a flow of reactants into the downstream combustion stage to be mixed with the cross-flow of combustion gases. Disclosed injector assemblies are arranged in expanding cross-sectional area (24) to reduce total pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: Method and computer-readable model for additively manufacturing a ducting arrangement (10) for a gas turbine engine are provided. Ducting arrangement (10) may include a duct (18) to be fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion gases from a main combustion stage. Duct (18) includes a duct segment (23) with an expanding cross-sectional area (24) where one or more injector assemblies (26) are disposed. Injector assembly (26) includes one or more reactant-guiding structures (27) arranged to deliver a flow of reactants to be mixed with the cross-flow of combustion gases. The ducting arrangement is effective to reduce total pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: A secondary fuel stage (14) of a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The combustor has a main combustion zone (43) upstream of the secondary fuel stage to ignite working gas The secondary fuel stage includes a nozzle (18) with dual outlets (20, 22) oriented with a circumferential component to inject an air-fuel mixture (24) into the combustor. The nozzle is effective to entrain the air-fuel mixture with the working gas (44) such that a peak temperature (46) of the working gas at a location downstream of the secondary fuel stage is less than a peak temperature (50) of working gas if the air-fuel mixture were injected into the combustor with a single outlet nozzle (118).

Abstract: An improved combustion system in a combustion turbine engine is provided. The combustor system may include an injector assembly disposed in a combustion stage disposed downstream from a main combustion stage of the combustor system. The injector assembly may include a reactant-guiding structure arranged to deliver to the combustion stage respective jets of reactants through an array of ejection orifices disposed on one or more side walls of the reactant-guiding structure. The reactant-guiding structure may be configured to form a stream-lined body relative to a flow of a fluid to be mixed with the jets of reactants delivered to the combustion stage. The ejection orifices of the array may be aerodynamically-shaped to define a respective stream-lined orifice cross-section, (e.g., airfoil shaped).

Abstract: Method and computer-readable model for additively manufacturing a ducting arrangement (20) in a combustion stage are provided. The ducting arrangement may include a combustor wall (40) in a combustion stage fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion products (21). An injector assembly (12) may be in fluid communication with cooling fluid conduits (46) in the combustor wall to receive cooling fluid that passes through the cooling fluid conduits. The injector assembly may include means for injecting (24, 25, 26) a flow of the cooling fluid (22) arranged to condition interaction of a flow of reactants (19) injected with the cross-flow of combustion products. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: A combustor (10) including: a first premix main burner (14) comprising a first swirler airfoil section (38); a second premix main burner (15) comprising a second swirler airfoil section (40); and a supply air reversing region upstream of the premix burners (14), (15). The first swirler airfoil section (38) and the second swirler airfoil section (40) are effective to impart swirl to a first airflow and a second airflow characterized by a same swirl number as the airflows exit respective burners (14), (15). The combustor (10) is effective to generate a first airflow volume through the first premix main burner (14) that is different than a second airflow volume through the second premix main burner (15).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for a combustion turbine engine are provided. A pre-mixing passage (24) has an upstream inlet arranged to receive a flow of air to be mixed with fuel. A fuel-injecting lance (12) is disposed in the pre-mixing passage. At least a first fuel ejection orifice (40) is disposed at a first axial location of the fuel-injecting lance. At least a second ejection orifice (42) is disposed at a second axial location of the fuel-injecting lance. A spacing between the first and second axial locations is arranged to effect oscillatory interference patterns in pockets comprising mixtures of air and fuel that flow towards a downstream outlet of the pre-mixing passage. The oscillatory interference patterns may be effective to promote homogeneity in the mixtures of air and fuel and dampen thermoacoustic oscillations in a flame (46) formed upon ignition of the mixtures of air and fuel.

Abstract: An improved combustion system having a reduced combustion residence time in a combustion turbine engine is provided. The combustor system may include a flow-accelerating structure (16, 51) having an inlet (26) and an outlet (28). The inlet of the flow-accelerating structure is fluidly coupled to receive a flow of combustion gases from a combustor outlet. At least one fuel injector (32, 64, 66) is disposed between the inlet and the outlet of the flow-accelerating structure. The flow-accelerating structure causes an increasing speed to the flow of combustion gases, and, as a result, the flow of combustion gases in the flow-accelerating structure experiences a decreased static temperature and a reduced combustion residence time, each of which is effective to reduce NOx emissions at the high firing temperatures of the turbine engine.

Abstract: Method and computer-readable model for additively manufacturing a ducting arrangement (20) in a combustion stage are provided. The ducting arrangement may include a combustor wall (40) in a combustion stage fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion products (21). An injector assembly (12) may be in fluid communication with cooling fluid conduits (46) in the combustor wall to receive cooling fluid that passes through the cooling fluid conduits. The injector assembly may include means for injecting (24, 25, 26) a flow of the cooling fluid (22) arranged to condition interaction of a flow of reactants (19) injected with the cross-flow of combustion products. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: A ducting arrangement (10) in a combustion stage downstream of a main combustion stage of a gas turbine engine is provided. A duct (18) is fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion gases from the main combustion stage. Duct (18) includes a duct segment (23) with an expanding cross-sectional area (24) where one or more injector assemblies (26) are disposed. Injector assembly (26) includes one or more reactant-guiding structures (27) arranged to deliver a flow of reactants into the downstream combustion stage to be mixed with the cross-flow of combustion gases. Disclosed injector assemblies are arranged in expanding cross-sectional area (24) to reduce total pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: Method and computer-readable model for additively manufacturing a ducting arrangement (10) for a gas turbine engine are provided. Ducting arrangement (10) may include a duct (18) to be fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion gases from a main combustion stage. Duct (18) includes a duct segment (23) with an expanding cross-sectional area (24) where one or more injector assemblies (26) are disposed. Injector assembly (26) includes one or more reactant-guiding structures (27) arranged to deliver a flow of reactants to be mixed with the cross-flow of combustion gases. The ducting arrangement is effective to reduce total pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for a combustion turbine engine are provided. The apparatus may include a fuel-injecting lance (12) to convey a liquid fuel to a downstream end (16) of the lance. At least one jet in cross-flow injector (18) may be disposed at the downstream end of the lance, and includes an ejection orifice (20) responsive to eject a liquid jet (22) of the fuel. A plurality of surface irregularities (28, 29, 30, 50, 52, 54) is disposed at least on a portion of a wall (32) of the fuel-injecting lance exposed to the flow of air and proximate to the ejection orifice (20). The plurality of surface irregularities may be arranged to interact (e.g., turbulent interaction) with the flow of air to promote breakage of the ejected liquid jet of fuel compared to an injector lacking such surface irregularities.

Abstract: A combustor and a method involving burner mains structurally configured to damp vibrational modes that can develop under high-frequency combustion dynamics are provided. The combustor may include a carrier (12), and a plurality of mains (16) disposed in the carrier. Some of the mains (labeled with the letter X) include a body having a different structural feature relative to the respective bodies of the remaining mains. The mains with the different structural feature may be selectively grouped in the carrier to form at least one set of such mains effective to damp predefined vibrational modes in the combustor.