With Attendant Coaxial Air Swirler Patents (Class 60/748)
  • Patent number: 9625152
    Abstract: A heat shield for a combustor of a gas turbine engine has a heat shield adapted to be mounted to a combustor wall with a back face of the heat shield in spaced-apart facing relationship with an inner surface of the combustor wall to define an air gap. Rails extend from the back face of the heat shield across the air gap. Grooves are defined in at least one of the rails. The rail grooves are in fluid flow communication with the air gap when the heat shield is mounted to the combustor wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael Papple, Robert Sze
  • Patent number: 9599022
    Abstract: A modular fuel nozzle tip for a gas turbine engine includes a body defining one or more fuel conveying passages extending therethrough, an annular cap having a radially inner shoulder surface interfacing with the peripheral end surface of the body to define a plurality of air channels extending through the head portion of the modular fuel nozzle tip. At least two fasteners fasten the annular cap to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Honza Stastny, Bhawan B Patel, John Greer, Parthasarathy Sampath
  • Patent number: 9592480
    Abstract: An inner premix tube for a fuel injector of a gas turbine engine includes a transition end, a tip end, and a premix tube inner surface. The transition end includes an annular disk portion with an annular disk shape and a redirection portion extending radially inward and axially from the annular disk portion. The transition end also includes a plurality of wipe passages extending through the transition end. The tip end includes a cylindrical portion with a hollow right circular cylinder shape. The premix tube inner surface is a radially outer surface including the redirection portion outer surface and the cylindrical portion outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Donald James Cramb, James Scott Piper, Sean Kelly Spivey, Michael John Ramotowski, Matthew Mayer
  • Patent number: 9506352
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a turbine blade of a gas turbine with an airfoil arranged on a blade root and having at least one cooling air duct running in the longitudinal direction of the turbine blade, arranged inside the turbine blade and extending through the blade root, characterized in that at least one swirl-generating element is arranged in the transitional area between blade root and airfoil in the cooling air duct, with the swirl-generating element including an outer ring and several swirl-generating stator vanes arranged thereon, which are connected to a centric area, as well as to a method for its manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Knut Lehmann, Tijana Filipova
  • Patent number: 9500371
    Abstract: A device for injecting air and fuel into a combustion chamber of a turbine engine, the device including a fuel injector, at least one first element mounted on the fuel injector, and at least one second element mounted on an end wall of the combustion chamber. The first element includes a radial rim that is movable in a radial groove of the second element, which groove is defined by a sheath and by a closure ring welded to an inside of the sheath. The closure ring includes a radial wall and a cylindrical rim extending from the radially outer periphery of the radial wall towards a radial wall of the sheath and bearing via its corresponding free end against the radial wall of the sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Jacques Marcel Arthur Bunel, Frederic Marius Mathieu, Gilles Ulryck
  • Patent number: 9476429
    Abstract: A feed diffuser is disclosed. The diffuser may comprise a base disposed orthogonal to a flow, a body extending from the base toward the flow, and an apex provided at a termination of the body in a direction toward the flow. The body may decrease in cross-sectional area from the base to the apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Brian Beach
  • Patent number: 9447976
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a gas gallery and a gas passage. The gas gallery is an annular passage configured to circumferentially distribute gas fuel. The gas passage includes an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is distal to the gas gallery and includes an inlet area with a circular shape. The outlet adjoins the gas gallery and includes an outlet area including an annular sector shape. The gas passage is configured to diffuse the gas fuel and discharge the gas fuel from the outlet and into the gas gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Rasoul Z. Paydar
  • Patent number: 9447974
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a swirler body for a combustor of a gas turbine engine, where the swirler body includes an annular mount face which defines at least one pocket. The disclosure is directed to a swirler assembly for a combustor of a gas turbine engine, where the swirler assembly includes a swirler first body with an annular first mount face which defines at least one first pocket and a swirler second body with an annular second mount face which abuts said annular first mount face, where said second annular mount face defines at least one second pocket. The disclosure is directed to a method of lightening a swirl assembly for a combustor of a gas turbine engine, where the method includes defining at least one pocket within an annular mount face of a swirler body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Seth A. Max, Jonathan M. Jause
  • Patent number: 9429042
    Abstract: An acoustic damping device is provided which includes at least one opening for a sealing gas to deflect a grazing gas flow away from the mouth of an acoustic damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Franklin Marie Genin, Devis Tonon, Mirko Ruben Bothien, Douglas Anthony Pennell
  • Patent number: 9360218
    Abstract: A fuel injection device is provided. The device includes a pilot injector opening out into a venturi and an annular row of multipoint injection orifices opening out axially in a downstream direction and radially outside the venturi, the venturi being connected at its downstream end to a separation wall. The outer peripheral edge of the separation wall has a diameter greater than the diameter of the annular row of injection orifices, whereby the separation wall forms a thermal protection screen for these orifices against heat radiation coming from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Matthieu Francois Rullaud, Galadriel Dancie, Romain Nicolas Lunel, Thomas Olivier Marie Noel
  • Patent number: 9347378
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine outer premix barrel is disclosed. The outer premix barrel includes a body portion, a barrel portion, and a plurality of vanes. The body portion includes vent air inlets. The barrel portion extends axially aft from the body portion. The plurality of vanes extends axially forward from the body portion. Each vane includes an inward surface located at a radially inner end of the vane, and a plurality of vent passages exiting the vane at the inward surface. Each vent passage is in flow communication with at least one vent air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Donald James Cramb, James Scott Piper, Sean Kelly Spivey, Michael John Ramotowski, Matthew Mayer
  • Patent number: 9322555
    Abstract: A cap assembly for a bundled tube fuel injector includes an impingement plate and an aft plate that is disposed downstream from the impingement plate. The aft plate includes a forward side that is axially separated from an aft side. A tube passage extends through the impingement plate and the aft plate. A tube sleeve extends through the impingement plate within the tube passage towards the aft plate. The tube sleeve includes a flange at a forward end and an aft end that is axially separated from the forward end. A retention plate is positioned upstream from the impingement plate. A spring is disposed between the retention plate and the flange. The spring provides a force so as to maintain contact between at least a portion of the aft end of the tube sleeve and the forward side of the aft plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey Scott LeBegue, Patrick Benedict Melton, James Harold Westmoreland, III, James Scott Flanagan
  • Patent number: 9322554
    Abstract: A combustor for a turbine engine includes a first liner defined about an axis with a first row of first combustion air holes, one of the first combustion air holes is defined along each of a multiple of fuel injector zero pitch lines. A second liner defined about the axis with a second row of second combustion air holes, each of the second combustion air holes circumferentially offset relative to each of the multiple of fuel injector zero pitch lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Won-Wook Kim, James B. Hoke, Timothy S. Snyder
  • Patent number: 9316411
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) furnace has a flat burner comprising an upstream side and a downstream side, the flat burner being configured to receive an air-fuel mixture therethrough, a first flow path located adjacent the flat burner and downstream relative to the flat burner, the first flow path configured to receive fluid exiting the flat burner, and a plurality of second flow paths located downstream relative to the first flow path, the plurality of second flow paths being configured to receive fluid from the first flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Lester D. Sherrow, Nancy Souvoravong, Jeffery Wayne O'Daniel
  • Patent number: 9267688
    Abstract: A head part of an annular combustion chamber for a gas turbine, the head part comprising: an end wall with a passage opening for accommodating a burner, the end wall comprising a back side which faces towards the combustion chamber; a burner collar adapted to fit within the passage opening and receive the burner, the burner collar comprising a protruding portion radially protruding from an outer surface of the burner collar; and a ring member for receiving the protruding portion of the burner collar; wherein the head part of the annular combustion chamber is configured such that in an installed configuration a radially outer portion of the ring member engages with the end wall and a radially inner portion of the ring member receives the protruding portion of the burner collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Richard G. Milburn
  • Patent number: 9228747
    Abstract: A combustor comprises an annular combustor chamber formed between the inner and outer liners, the annular combustor chamber having a central axis. Fuel nozzles are in fluid communication with the annular combustor chamber to inject fuel in the annular combustor chamber. The fuel nozzles are oriented to inject fuel in a fuel flow direction having an axial component relative to the central axis of the annular combustor chamber. Nozzle air inlets are in fluid communication with the annular combustor chamber to inject nozzle air generally radially in the annular combustor chamber. A plurality of dilution air holes are defined through the inner and outer liner downstream of the nozzle air inlets, the dilution holes configured for high pressure air to be injected from an exterior of the liners through the dilution air holes generally radially into the combustor chamber, a central axis of the dilution air holes having a tangential component relative to the central axis of the annular combustor chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Parham Zabeti
  • Patent number: 9127843
    Abstract: A combustor comprises an annular combustor chamber formed between the inner and outer liners. Fuel nozzles each have an end in fluid communication with the annular combustor chamber to inject fuel in the annular combustor chamber, the fuel nozzles oriented to inject fuel in a fuel flow direction having an axial component relative to the central axis of the annular combustor chamber. A plurality of nozzle air holes are defined through the inner liner and the outer liner adjacent to and downstream of the fuel nozzles. The nozzle air holes are configured for high pressure air to be injected from an exterior of the liners through the nozzle air holes generally radially into the annular combustor chamber. A central axis of the nozzle air holes has a tangential component relative to the central axis of the annular combustor chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Parham Zabeti, Tin Cheung John Hu
  • Patent number: 9027350
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a combustor with a combustion liner having inner and outer walls is disclosed herein. The gas turbine engine further includes a swirler system adapted to receive a fuel injector and a flow splitter operable to bifurcate an airflow exiting the swirler system into a first bifurcated flow and a second bifurcated flow. A shroud is positioned downstream of the flow splitter and is configured to deflect the first bifurcated flow in a first direction radially inward and the second bifurcated flow in a second direction radially outward. The second bifurcated flow cools both of the inner and outer walls of the combustor liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy Carl Roesler
  • Patent number: 9021812
    Abstract: A combustor dome and heat-shield assembly comprises a heat-shield having a first opening therethrough. A swirler extends through the first opening and captures the heat-shield. A dome having a second opening therethrough and has an upstream side and a downstream side. The swirler extends through the second opening from the downstream side to the upstream side to capture the heat-shield on the downstream side, and a retaining clip engages the swirler to secure the swirler and the heat-shield on the dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald B. Pardington, Paul Yankowich, Nagaraja S. Rudrapatna, Thomas Frank Johnson
  • Patent number: 9021811
    Abstract: A swirler for mixing fuel and air is provided. The swirler includes a plurality of vanes positioned radially around a central axis of the swirler and a plurality of mixing channels for mixing the fuel and the air. At least one mixing channel of the plurality of mixing channels is defined by opposite walls of two adjacent vanes of the plurality of vanes and is comprising at least one fuel injection opening and is further comprising at least one dimple for generating a vortex of the air. Further, a combustion chamber incorporating such a swirler and a gas turbine incorporating such a combustion chamber are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Kam-Kei Lam
  • Patent number: 9021781
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine includes an annular main body. A fluid circuit extends at least partially through the main body. An axially extending inner body extends within the main body. The inner body at least partially defines an inner chamber that extends at least partially through the inner body. The inner chamber is in fluid communication with the fluid circuit. A retractable igniter extends linearly outward from the inner chamber when the fluid circuit is charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kaitlin Marie Graham, James Scott Flanagan, Jeffrey Scott LeBegue
  • Publication number: 20150113993
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly includes a fuel injector and a fuel injector shroud housing the fuel injector. The fuel injector includes a body and a nozzle coupled to the body. The fuel injector shroud includes a swirler device defining a center opening proximate to the nozzle of the fuel injector and a plurality of swirler holes surrounding the center opening, a body section with an air inlet configured to admit a flow of air into the fuel injector shroud and a dome section defining a mount for securing the swirler device to the body section, and at least one interior rib positioned on an interior surface of the dome section configured to direct the flow of air to the swirler holes of the swirler device such that the flow of air exiting through the swirler is mixed with the flow of fuel exiting the nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Nagaraja S. Rudrapatna, Thomas J. Bronson, Donald G. Godfrey
  • Patent number: 9016601
    Abstract: A swirler including a fuel distributor is provided. Each fuel distributor includes a distribution element defining a cavity, an inlet opening arranged in the distribution element, at least one outlet opening arranged in the distribution element, and at least one third opening arranged in the distribution element, the cross-section of the at least one third opening being larger than the cross-section of the at least one outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Paul Headland, Richard Noden
  • Patent number: 9003802
    Abstract: A fuel injector device for an annular combustion chamber of a turbine engine, including a pilot circuit feeding an injector and a multipoint circuit feeding injection orifices formed in a front face of an annular ring mounted in an annular chamber, together with a thermal insulation mechanism insulating the front face and including an annular cavity formed around the injection orifices between the front face of the annular ring and a front wall of the annular chamber and configured to be filled in operation with air or with coked fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Didier Hippolyte Hernandez, Emilie Lachaud, Thomas Olivier Marie Noel
  • Patent number: 8991187
    Abstract: The present application provides for a combustor for combusting a flow of fuel and a flow of air. The combustor may include a number of fuel nozzles, a lean pre-nozzle fuel injection system positioned upstream of the fuel nozzles, and a premixing annulus positioned between the fuel nozzles and the lean pre-nozzle fuel injection system to premix the flow of fuel and the flow of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael John Hughes, Jonathan Dwight Berry, Jason Thurman Stewart, Almaz Valeev, Chunyang Wu
  • Publication number: 20150082796
    Abstract: A burner of a gas turbine extending along an axis is provided having in axial order: a swirler section, mixing section, outlet section, and main combustion zone. The swirler section has swirler vanes to swirl a stream of fuel and oxygen containing gas entering therein in a circumferential direction. The mixing section conducts the premix of fuel and oxygen containing gas to the outlet section. The outlet section discharges the premix into the combustion zone expanding the flow of premix from a smaller axial cross section of the mixing section to a larger cross section of the combustion zone which streamlines the flow to diverge radially. A surface of the outlet section facing the flow of the premix is provided with first fuel nozzles injecting fuel into the premix into a radial inwardly inclined direction before the flow of the premix enters the outlet section into the combustion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Mats Andersson, Alessio Bonaldo
  • Patent number: 8984889
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas-turbine engine including a burner head, a combustion chamber disposed downstream of the burner head, a swirler for creating a swirling flow of air in the combustion chamber, and a fuel nozzle disposed in the burner head. The fuel nozzle is disposed giving rise to a first angle of exit of the fuel from a downstream face of the burner head of >±0° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the combustor, this first angle lying in a first plane passing through the longitudinal axis. The fuel also exits at a second angle from the downstream face of >±0° with respect to the first plane, the second angle lying in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8978384
    Abstract: A swirler assembly in a gas turbine combustor includes a hub, a shroud, and a plurality of vanes connected between the hub and the shroud. The vanes include a high pressure side on which air and fuel impinge the vanes and a low pressure side. An air circuit is provided in each of the plurality of vanes receiving discharge air from a compressor. Each of the air circuits includes an air entry passage into the vanes and an air exit passage on the low pressure side of the vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, Abdul Rafey Khan, Mohan Krishna Bobba
  • Patent number: 8973369
    Abstract: A gas-turbine burner having a plurality of main swirl generators which each have an inlet flow opening formed by the main swirl generator edge is provided. In order to achieve a uniform flow of combustion air through the main swirl generator, the gas-turbine burner has an inlet-flow guide means with a flow guide surface which runs from one of the inlet-flow openings to an adjacent inlet-flow opening, to which the main swirl generator edges which form the inlet-flow openings are connected, and the flow guide surface widens from there radially upwards. The main swirl generators are central-symmetrically arranged around a pilot burner and the flow guide surface runs radially outside the main swirl generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Robert Angel, Drew Ehlert, Matthias Hase, Michael Huth, James Marshall, Yevgeniy Shteyman
  • Patent number: 8973368
    Abstract: A mixer assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided, including a main mixer with fuel injection holes located between at least one radial swirler and at least one axial swirler, wherein the fuel injected into the main mixer is atomized and dispersed by the air flowing through the radial swirler and the axial swirler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Zhongtao Dai, Jeffrey M. Cohen, Catalin G. Fotache, Lance L. Smith, Donald J. Hautman
  • Patent number: 8966908
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a turbine engine may include a body member disposed about a longitudinal axis, and a barrel member located radially outwardly from the body member. The fuel injector may also include an annular passageway extending between the body member and the barrel member from a first end to a second end. The first end may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a compressor of the turbine engine and the second end may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a perforated plate positioned proximate the first end of the passageway. The perforated plate may be configured to direct compressed air into the annular passageway with a first pressure drop. The fuel injector may also include at least one fuel discharge orifice positioned downstream of the perforated plate. The at least one fuel discharge orifice may be configured to discharge a fuel into the annular passageway with a second pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Hongyu Wang, James Wilfrid Blust, Mario E. Abreu
  • Patent number: 8966905
    Abstract: A combustion device includes a plurality of mixing devices into which a fluid containing oxygen and a fuel are introduced and mixed to form a mixture. The combustion device also includes a combustion chamber in which the mixture formed in the mixing devices is burnt. Each mixing device has a conical body with a lance projecting into the conical body, where the fuel is injectable into the conical body. Tips of the lances of different mixing devices have different distances from corresponding open ends of the respective conical bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Marta De La Cruz Garcia, Nicolas Noiray, Ghislain Singla
  • Publication number: 20150052899
    Abstract: An airblast fuel injector for a gas turbine engine fuel spray nozzle has, in order from radially inner to outer, a coaxial arrangement of an inner air swirler passage, an annular fuel passage, an annular outer air swirler passage, and an annular shroud air swirler passage. The injector further has an annular shroud having an inner surface profile. Relative to the overall axial direction of flow through the injector the shroud inner surface profile has a convergent section followed by a divergent section, the transition of which forming a first inwardly directed annular nose. The injector further has an annular wall having an outer surface profile, and having an inner surface profile. Relative to the overall axial direction of flow through the injector the wall outer surface profile has a convergent section followed by an outwardly turning section which faces across the shroud air passage to the first nose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Ian James TOON
  • Patent number: 8959772
    Abstract: A multipoint injector for a turbomachine according to which any risk of fuel coking is eliminated is disclosed. The multipoint fuel which is liable to stagnate inside the circuit thereof is cooled uniformly, due to the formation of continuous baffles which each communicate with at least one separate circulation channel and of which the peripheral baffles open out into a fuel admission chamber arranged in a zone diametrically opposing the circulation channels and which communicates with the injection nozzle for pilot fuel in order to achieve uniform supply and cooling of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Didier Hippolyte Hernandez, Thomas Olivier Marie Noel
  • Patent number: 8959923
    Abstract: An arrangement for preparation of a fuel for combustion including a burner is provided. The arrangement includes a combustion chamber associated with the burner and in which combustion of a fuel is to take place, as well as means for supplying liquid fuel to the arrangement through an internal passage in the burner for the combustion, solid portions of the burner body being heated by the combustion, wherein the internal passage is located inside the solid portions of the burner body for receiving heat energy evaporating the fuel from these body portions, and that it includes means for conveying vaporized fuel to the combustion chamber to take part in the combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulf Nilsson, Peter Senior
  • Patent number: 8955326
    Abstract: In a fuel injection device at a base of a combustion chamber, a mixing air inlet screw is manufactured with its peripheral holes extending only over a sector of a circle directed towards the air's propagation cone, wherein the remainder of the periphery of the screw is closed. It is then possible to reduce load loss of the injection system while obtaining an improved quality of the mix supplied to the chamber. Such a device can be used in gas turbines fitted with centrifugal compressors and in which the air flow towards the combustion chamber must therefore be made convergent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Sébastien Alain Christophe Bourgois, Didier Hippolyte Hernandez, Matthieu François Rullaud
  • Publication number: 20150040569
    Abstract: An annular combustion chamber including inner and outer walls forming surfaces of revolution that are connected together upstream by an annular chamber end wall having injection systems passing therethrough. Each injection system includes at least one swirler for producing a rotating stream of air downstream from a fuel injector, and a frustoconical bowl downstream from the swirler and formed with an annular row of air injection orifices, the outer wall having an annular row of primary dilution orifices. The orifices of the bowls are distributed and dimensioned such that sheets of air/fuel mixture present a local enlargement circumferentially intersecting an adjacent sheet of fuel upstream from the primary dilution orifices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: SNECMA
    Inventors: Denis Jean, Maurice Sandelis, Christophe Pieussergues
  • Patent number: 8950189
    Abstract: A fuel injection array for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of bluff body injectors and a plurality of swirler injectors. A control operates the plurality of bluff body injectors and swirler injectors such that bluff body injectors are utilized without all of the swirler injectors at least at low power operation. The swirler injectors are utilized at higher power operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy S. Snyder
  • Patent number: 8950187
    Abstract: A premix burner of the multi-cone type for a gas turbine, that includes a plurality of shells, which are arranged around a central burner axis and are parts of a virtual, axially extending common cone, which opens in a downstream direction, whereby the parts are displaced perpendicular to the burner axis such that a tangential slot is defined between each pair of adjacent shells. A disadvantageous transition piece between the shells and a downstream mixing tube is avoided by bordering the downstream ends of the shells by intersecting planes, which are defined by intersecting the shells with a virtual coaxial cylinder of a predetermined radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Ennio Pasqualotto, Hanspeter Knopfel
  • Publication number: 20150033752
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustion system is provided. In an embodiment, the system includes a first radial inflow swirler having first radial outer intake openings, first radial inner outlet openings and first flow passages, each first flow passage including a first angle (a) with respect to the radial direction, a second radial inflow swirler having second radial outer intake openings, each second flow passage including a second angle (p) with respect to the radial direction, where the radial outer circumference of the second radial inflow swirler has a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the radial inner circumference of the first radial inflow swirler and the second radial inflow swirler is located coaxially with and radially inside the first radial inflow swirler. The first angle (a) has a different sign than the second angle (p) with respect to the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Suresh Sadasivuni
  • Patent number: 8943834
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes a combustion cylinder, a premixing tube, and a pressure injection unit. Holes are formed in a peripheral wall of the premixing tube in a tangential direction. An inner wall is provided in the peripheral wall while having a gap therefrom. The compressed air in the gap forms a swirl flow. The compressed air and injected fuel supplied into the inner wall form straight flows each with a predetermined cross-section area in the inner wall under no influence of the swirl flow. They are combusted in the combustion cylinder via a protruding wall. The flame is stably retained at an appropriate position apart from the top portion of the combustion cylinder to improve durability without being excessively heated. This may prevent deterioration in durability of the combustion cylinder by the heat by retaining the flame at the appropriate position in the combustion cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignees: Niigata Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Koyama, Shigeru Tachibana
  • Patent number: 8943829
    Abstract: This invention relates to a lean premix burner of a gas-turbine engine with an annular central body 2, which, while being essentially concentric to a burner center axis 1, is connected to a film applicator 3, which conically widens at the fuel exit side, as well as to an outer ring 4 concentrically arranged to the burner center axis 1 and surrounding at least the film applicator 3 at a certain distance, characterized in that an annular flow-guiding element 6 is provided in an annular duct 5 formed between the outer ring 4 and the film applicator 3 which, in the axial direction of the annular duct 5, is at least partly situated outside of the outer ring 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Imon-Kalyan Bagchi, Waldemar Lazik
  • Patent number: 8943833
    Abstract: A disclosed fuel injector provides mixing of fuel with airflow by surrounding a swirled fuel flow with first and second swirled airflows that ensures mixing prior to or upon entering the combustion chamber. Fuel tubes produce a central fuel flow along with a central airflow through a plurality of openings to generate the high velocity fuel/air mixture along the axis of the fuel injector in addition to the swirled fuel/air mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Richard S. Tuthill, Dustin W. Davis, Zhongtao Dai
  • Patent number: 8925323
    Abstract: A system includes a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a center body configured to receive a first portion of air and to deliver the air to a combustion region. The fuel nozzle also includes a swirler configured to receive a second portion of air and to deliver the air to the combustion region. The swirler includes an outer shroud wall, an inner hub wall, and a swirl vane. The swirl vane includes a radial swirl profile at a downstream edge of the swirl vane. The radial swirl profile includes a region extending from the outer shroud wall to a first transition point and a second region extending from the transition point to the inner hub wall. At least one of the first and second regions is substantially straight and at least one of the first and second regions is arcuate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Baifang Zuo
  • Patent number: 8925325
    Abstract: Combustion systems and the related methods operate to supply a stream of combustion products to a turbine in a gas turbine engine by forming an outer recirculation zone of recirculating combustion products within a combustor and by forming an inner recirculation zone inboard of the outer recirculation zone. The inner and outer recirculation zones are formed by imparting swirl to compressor discharge air passing through an outer air swirler and an inner air swirler radially inboard of the outer air swirler. Fuel is injected from an outer fuel injector into the outer recirculation zone, and fuel is also injected from an inner fuel injector into the inner recirculation zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas R. Overman, John Earl Short
  • Patent number: 8925324
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor section, a combustor operatively connected to the compressor section, an end cover mounted to the combustor, and an injection nozzle assembly operatively connected to the combustor. The injection nozzle assembly includes a plurality of mixing tube elements. Each of the plurality of mixing tube elements includes a conduit having a first fluid inlet, a second fluid inlet arranged downstream from the first fluid inlet, a discharge end arranged downstream from the first and second fluid inlets, and a vortex generator arranged between the first and second fluid inlets. The vortex generator is configured and disposed to create multiple vortices within the conduit to mix first and second fluids passing through each of the plurality of mixing tube elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Chunyang Wu, Baifang Zuo
  • Publication number: 20140366551
    Abstract: An ignition system includes a housing defining an interior and an exhaust outlet. The housing is configured and adapted to be mounted to a combustor to issue flame from the exhaust outlet into the combustor for ignition and flame stabilization within the combustor. A fuel injector is mounted to the housing with an outlet of the fuel injector directed to issue a spray of fuel into the interior of the housing. An igniter is mounted to the housing with an ignition point of the igniter proximate the outlet of the fuel injector for ignition within the interior of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason Allen Ryon, Steven Jay Myers, Nicole L. Nelson, Roger A. Seei
  • Patent number: 8910480
    Abstract: A fuel injector comprises a plurality of swirler vane passages defined between swirler vanes. Each vane is leant with respect to the true radius of the swirler. The pressure distribution through the swirler passages is improved and the flow of air over a prefilmer located at the radially outer edges of the swirl vanes is improved and consequently atomization of fuel is improved and levels of NOx is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Federico Suria, Nickolaos Pilatis
  • Patent number: 8910483
    Abstract: A lean premix burner for a gas-turbine engine includes an annular center body (3) with a conically flaring fuel film applicator (11) supplied with fuel via an annular distributor chamber (14) and fuel channels (12) as well as air ducts (7, 9) with swirler elements (8, 10) provided on the outer and inner circumference. A fuel prefilmer lip (15) is attached to the fuel film applicator (11), with a flow area of a portion of the annular air ducts (7, 9) downstream of the swirler elements (8, 10) decreasing to accelerate the air swirled in correspondence with the airflow direction. By this, the fuel is transported positively without interim separation and without the occurrence of compressive oscillation—to a defined flow break-away edge (16), providing for a good mixture, high combustion efficiency and reduced formation of nitrogen oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & C
    Inventor: Ralf Sebastian Von Der Bank
  • Publication number: 20140331679
    Abstract: A combustion burner including a fuel nozzle, a burner tube that surrounds the fuel nozzle to form an air passage between the burner tube and the fuel nozzle, swirler vanes that are arranged in a circumferential direction on an external circumferential surface of the fuel nozzle, a liquid fuel injecting hole that is formed on the fuel nozzle, and from which a liquid fuel is injected to a vane pressure surface of each of the swirler vanes, and a cooling unit that cools a part of the vane pressure surface on which the liquid fuel hits. The cooling unit includes a multi-purpose injecting hole that is arranged on the vane pressure surface of each of the swirler vanes, and from which a gas fuel is injected during gas combustion, and water is injected to the vane pressure surface of the swirler vane during combustion of the liquid fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Saito, Koichi Ishizaka, Satoshi Tanimura