Fuel nozzle assembly with micro-channel cooling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10544941-B2
Application number	US-201615371308-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 7, 2016
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

A fuel nozzle assembly includes a forward plate and an aft plate which is axially spaced from the forward plate. The aft plate includes a first side surface and a second side surface. A cooling air plenum is defined within the bundled tube fuel nozzle assembly and is at least partially defined by the aft plate. A plurality of tubes extends through the forward plate, the cooling air plenum and the aft plate. A micro-cooling channel is disposed along the second side surface of the aft plate and is in fluid communication with the cooling air plenum and is in fluid communication with an exhaust aperture. A cover plate is connected to the aft plate and covers the micro-cooling channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel nozzle assembly, comprising:
a forward plate;
an aft plate having a first side surface proximate to the forward plate and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, wherein the aft plate is axially spaced from the forward plate and defines an upstream boundary of a combustion zone;
a cooling air plenum defined within the fuel nozzle assembly and partially defined by the aft plate;
a plurality of tubes extending through the forward plate, the cooling air plenum and the aft plate;
a micro-cooling channel disposed in a localized area along the second side surface of the aft plate, wherein the micro-cooling channel is in fluid communication with the cooling air plenum, and wherein the micro-cooling channel is in fluid communication with an exhaust aperture; and
a cover plate connected to the aft plate and covering only the localized area in which the micro-cooling channel is disposed.

2. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the micro-cooling channel is formed in the second side surface of the aft plate beneath the cover plate.

3. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the micro-cooling channel is formed in an inner surface of the cover plate.

4. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein a portion of the micro-cooling channel is partially formed in the aft plate and partially formed in an inner surface of the cover plate.

5. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the cover plate comprises a pre-sintered preform.

6. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the cover plate comprises one or more layers of sheet metal.

7. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the cover plate is flush with the second side surface of the aft plate.

8. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the micro-cooling channel is formed in a serpentine pattern.

9. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the aft plate defines an inlet aperture disposed along the first side surface of the aft plate, wherein the inlet aperture provides for fluid communication between the cooling air plenum and the micro-cooling channel.

10. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the exhaust aperture is defined by the cover plate.

11. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the exhaust aperture is defined by the aft plate.

12. The fuel nozzle assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the exhaust aperture is disposed proximate to a tube of the plurality of tubes.

13. A combustor, comprising:
a fuel nozzle assembly coupled to a fuel supply via a fluid conduit, the fuel nozzle assembly comprising:
a forward plate;
an aft plate having a first side surface proximate to the forward plate and a second side surface opposite the first side surface, wherein the aft plate is axially spaced from the forward plate and defines an upstream boundary of a combustion zone;
an intermediate plate disposed between the forward plate and the aft plate, wherein the forward plate and the intermediate plate define a fuel plenum therebetween, wherein the intermediate plate and the aft plate define a cooling air plenum therebetween, wherein the fuel plenum is in fluid communication with the fluid conduit and the cooling air plenum is in fluid communication with a cooling air supply;
a plurality of tubes that extends through the forward plate, the fuel plenum, the intermediate plate, the cooling air plenum and the aft plate;
a micro-cooling channel disposed in a localized area along the second side surface of the aft plate, wherein the micro-cooling channel is in fluid communication with the cooling air plenum via an inlet aperture disposed along the first side surface of the aft plate, and wherein the micro-cooling channel is in fluid communication with an exhaust aperture; and
a cover plate connected to the aft plate and covering only the localized area in which the micro-cooling channel is disposed.

14. The combustor as in claim 13 , wherein the micro-cooling channel is formed in the second side surface of the aft plate beneath the cover plate.

15. The combustor as in claim 13 , wherein the micro-cooling channel is formed in an inner surface of the cover plate.

16. The combustor as in claim 13 , wherein a portion of the micro-cooling channel is partially formed in the aft plate and partially formed in an inner surface of the cover plate.

17. The combustor as in claim 13 , wherein the cover plate comprises at least one of a pre-sintered preform and one or more layers of sheet metal.

18. The combustor as in claim 13 , wherein an outer surface of the cover plate is flush with the second side surface of the aft plate.

19. The combustor as in claim 13 , wherein the micro-cooling channel is formed in a serpentine pattern.

20. The combustor as in claim 13 , wherein the exhaust aperture is defined by the cover plate or the aft plate, proximate to a tube of the plurality of tubes.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Stoia Lucas John
• Dicintio Richard Martin
• Purcell Timothy James
• Kottilingam Srikanth Chandrudu

Classifications

• F23D14/64

  with injectors · CPC title

• F23D11/40

  Mixing tubes; Burner heads · CPC title

• F23R3/283 Primary

  Attaching or cooling of fuel injecting means including supports for fuel injectors, stems, or lances · CPC title

• F23R3/286

  having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F23D2214/00

  Cooling · CPC title