Vortex generating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10865986-B2
Application number	US-201715825686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2017
Priority date	Nov 30, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A vortex generating device is provided as a generally airfoil-shaped lobed body. The flow deflection varies along a spanwise extent, such that the body exhibits a corrugated geometry in a trailing edge region, and the trailing edge exhibits an undulating shape. The undulating shape includes at least one corner. The trailing edge may include or may consist of straight trailing edge sections. The trailing edge may exhibit a polygonial waveform shape, in particular a trapezoidal or rectangular waveform shape. The vortex generating device may be provided as a fuel discharge device which is suited to discharge a fuel into a vortex flow generated by the vortex generating device. To this extent, a fuel supply plenum may be provided inside the body and at least one fuel discharge opening which is in fluid communication with the fuel supply plenum may be provided on the trailing edge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vortex generating device, comprising:
a body having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a streamwise direction (I) being defined from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the body further having a spanwise direction (s), and the body, in profile cross sections taken across the spanwise direction, exhibiting an airfoil-shaped geometry;
each airfoil-shaped profile cross section with a camber line extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge, at least two of the camber lines exhibiting different camber angles, such that the body exhibits at least two different flow deflection angles along the spanwise direction;
a first surface extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and including airfoil-shaped profile lines on a first side of the respective camber lines and a second surface extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and including airfoil-shaped profile lines on an opposite second side of the respective camber lines, and the first and second surfaces joining each other at the leading edge and at the trailing edge;
the body in a trailing edge region exhibiting a corrugated shape wherein the first surface exhibits a flute extending upstream from the trailing edge and the second surface exhibits a ridge extending upstream from the trailing edge opposite said flute;
the trailing edge, when seen from a viewpoint downstream the body, exhibiting an undulating shape, wherein the trailing edge when seen from said downstream viewpoint includes a plurality of adjacent trailing edge sections which abut each other at respective corners and include respective angles (a, b, c, d) with each other,
at least first trailing edge sections of the plurality of adjacent trailing edge sections being arranged across a trailing edge median line;
at least one fuel supply plenum being provided inside the body and at least one fuel discharge opening being provided at a respective one of the first trailing edge sections, whereby the fuel discharge opening is in fluid communication with the fuel supply plenum, wherein
adjacent corners of the trailing edge are arranged across a trailing edge mean line and configured to generate co-rotating vortices, the co-rotating vortices generating a shear layer between them at a location where the fuel discharge opening is located.

2. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the body at the leading edge exhibits a non-corrugated shape, the trailing edge exhibits an undulating shape when seen from the downstream viewpoint, and the corrugation of the body increases in a downstream direction (I) from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

3. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge comprises:
at least one straight trailing edge section when seen from the downstream viewpoint.

4. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge, when seen from a downstream viewpoint, comprises:
at least two corners, wherein, when following an extent of the trailing edge from a first spanwise end to a second spanwise end, a kink angle (a) between the two adjacent subsequent trailing edge sections at a first corner is one of right-handed or left handed, and a kink angle (b) between the two adjacent subsequent trailing edge sections at a second corner is the other one of right-handed or left handed.

5. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein, when seen from a downstream viewpoint and when following an extent of the trailing edge from a first spanwise end to a second spanwise end, each kink angle (a) between two adjacent subsequent trailing edge sections is smaller than 90°.

6. The vortex generating device according to claim 5 , wherein, when seen from a downstream viewpoint, within a right-handed kinked extent of the trailing edge, a sum of kink angles (b, c) of all immediately consecutive right-handed kinks is less than 180° and within a left-handed kinked extent of the trailing edge, a sum of kink angles (d, e) of all immediately consecutive left handed kinks is less than 180°.

7. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge comprises:
a multitude of at least two straight trailing edge sections, wherein, when seen from the downstream viewpoint, each straight trailing edge section abuts another trailing edge section at a corner of the trailing edge, wherein each straight trailing edge section abuts another straight trailing edge section at a corner of the trailing edge.

8. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge comprises:
at least three straight trailing edge sections, wherein a first one of said straight trailing edge sections abuts one of the other straight trailing edge sections at a first end of the first straight trailing edge section and at a corner of the trailing edge, and abuts a second one of the other straight trailing edge sections at a second end of the first straight trailing edge section and at a second corner of the trailing edge.

9. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge, when seen from the downstream viewpoint, exhibits a shape of a polygonial waveform.

10. The vortex generating device according to claim 9 , wherein the trailing edge, when seen from the downstream viewpoint, exhibits a shape of a trapezoidal waveform.

11. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the trailing edge, when seen from the downstream viewpoint, alternatingly extends on both sides of a trailing edge mean line along the spanwise extent (s) of the trailing edge.

12. The vortex generating device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one fuel discharge opening is arranged at a location where the trailing edge crosses a trailing edge mean line.

13. A sequential combustion system, comprising:
an upstream combustion stage; and
a downstream combustion stage, wherein the downstream combustion stage is provided in fluid communication with the upstream combustion stage and configured to receive combustion gases from the upstream combustion stage, wherein at least one vortex generating device according to claim 1 is provided upstream the downstream combustion stage as a fuel discharge device.

14. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a sequential combustion system according to claim 13 .

Assignees

• Ansaldo Energia Switzerland AG

Inventors

• Theuer Andre
• Benz Urs
• Yang Yang
• Düsing Michael

Classifications

• F23R3/28 Primary

  characterised by the fuel supply (burners F23D) · CPC title

• F23R3/16

  with devices inside the flame tube or the combustion chamber to influence the air or gas flow · CPC title

• F05D2240/35

  Combustors or associated equipment · CPC title

• F02C7/22

  Fuel supply systems · CPC title

• F23R3/20

  incorporating fuel injection means · CPC title