Involute trapped vortex combustor assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10976053-B2
Application number	US-201715793129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2017
Priority date	Oct 25, 2017
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A combustor assembly includes a volute wall extended annularly around a combustor centerline, extended at least partially as a spiral curve from a circumferential reference line around the combustor centerline, and defining a combustion chamber therewithin, an annular inner wall extended at least partially along a lengthwise direction from the volute wall, an annular outer wall extended at least partially along the lengthwise direction from the volute wall, the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall being separated along a radial direction from the combustor centerline, and a primary flow passage being defined between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, and a flow passage wall extending between a portion of the volute wall and a portion of the annular outer wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A combustor assembly, comprising:
a volute wall extended annularly around a combustor centerline, wherein the volute wall is extended at least partially as a spiral curve from a circumferential reference line around the combustor centerline, and wherein the volute wall defines a combustion chamber therewithin;
an annular inner wall extended at least partially along a lengthwise direction from the volute wall;
an annular outer wall extended at least partially along the lengthwise direction from the volute wall, wherein the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall are separated along a radial direction from the combustor centerline, and wherein a primary flow passage is defined between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; and
a flow passage wall extending between a portion of the volute wall and a portion of the annular outer wall,
wherein the flow passage wall defines a secondary flow passage and a tertiary flow passage between the volute wall, the annular outer wall, and the flow passage wall,
wherein the secondary flow passage and the tertiary flow passage are each in adjacent circumferential arrangement of one another around the combustor centerline,
wherein the volute wall and the annular outer wall together define at least one secondary outlet opening adjacent to the combustion chamber and in fluid communication therewith,
wherein the annular outer wall defines at least one tertiary outlet opening in fluid communication with the tertiary flow passage and the primary flow passage,
wherein the annular outer wall defines at least one secondary inlet opening in fluid communication with the secondary flow passage and the at least one secondary outlet opening, and
wherein the combustor assembly further comprises a secondary fuel injector extended at least partially into the secondary flow passage through the at least one secondary inlet opening.

2. The combustor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tertiary outlet opening is defined through the portion of the annular outer wall outward along the radial direction from the annular inner wall.

3. The combustor assembly of claim 2 , wherein the at least one tertiary outlet opening is defined at at least one location along the lengthwise direction of the annular outer wall.

4. The combustor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the annular outer wall defines at least one tertiary inlet opening in fluid communication with the tertiary flow passage and the at least one tertiary outlet opening.

5. A combustor assembly, comprising:
a volute wall extended annularly around a combustor centerline, wherein the volute wall is extended at least partially as a spiral curve from a circumferential reference line around the combustor centerline, and wherein the volute wall defines a combustion chamber therewithin;
an annular inner wall extended at least partially along a lengthwise direction from the volute wall;
an annular outer wall extended at least partially along the lengthwise direction from the volute wall, wherein the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall are separated along a radial direction from the combustor centerline, and wherein a primary flow passage is defined between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; and
a flow passage wall extending between a portion of the volute wall and a portion of the annular outer wall,
wherein the flow passage wall defines a secondary flow passage and a tertiary flow passage between the volute wall, the annular outer wall, and the flow passage wall,
wherein the secondary flow passage and the tertiary flow passage are each in adjacent circumferential arrangement of one another around the combustor centerline,
wherein the volute wall and the annular outer wall together define at least one secondary outlet opening adjacent to the combustion chamber and in fluid communication therewith,
wherein the annular outer wall defines at least one tertiary outlet opening in fluid communication with the tertiary flow passage and the primary flow passage,
wherein the annular outer wall defines at least one tertiary inlet opening in fluid communication with the tertiary flow passage and the at least one tertiary outlet opening, and
wherein the combustor assembly, further comprises a tertiary fuel injector extended at least partially into the tertiary flow passage through the at least one tertiary inlet opening.

6. The combustor assembly of claim 5 ,
wherein the tertiary fuel injector is extended through the tertiary flow passage and the annular outer wall, and
wherein the tertiary fuel injector is configured to provide a flow of fuel to the primary flow passage.

7. The combustor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising
a primary fuel injector,
wherein the volute wall defines at least one fuel injection opening through which the primary fuel injector is extended at least partially into the combustion chamber.

8. The combustor assembly of claim 7 ,
wherein a reference chord is defined from the volute wall, and
wherein the primary fuel injector is extended at least partially into the combustion chamber at an acute angle relative to the reference chord.

9. The combustor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the primary fuel injector is extended at least partially into the combustion chamber at a compound angle relative to the volute wall and the combustor centerline.

10. A combustor assembly, comprising:
a volute wall extended annularly around a combustor centerline, wherein the volute wall is extended at least partially as a spiral curve from a circumferential reference line around the combustor centerline, and wherein the volute wall defines a combustion chamber therewithin;
an annular inner wall extended at least partially along a lengthwise direction from the volute wall;
an annular outer wall extended at least partially along the lengthwise direction from the volute wall, wherein the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall are separated along a radial direction from the combustor centerline, and wherein a primary flow passage is defined between the annular inner wall and the annular outer wall in fluid communication with the combustion chamber; and
a flow passage wall extending between a portion of the volute wall and a portion of the annular outer wall,
wherein the flow passage wall defines a secondary flow passage and a tertiary flow passage between the volute wall, the annular outer wall, and the flow passage wall,
wherein the secondary flow passage and the tertiary flow passage are each in adjacent circumferential arrangement of one another around the combustor centerline,
wherein the volute wall and the annular outer wall together define at least one secondary outlet opening adjacent to the combustion chamber and in fluid communication therewith,
wherein the annular outer wall defines at least one tertiary outlet opening in fluid communication with the tertiary flow passage and the primary flow passage,
wherein the combustor assembly further comprises:
a primary fuel injector, and
a secondary fuel injector and a tertiary fuel injector in alternating circumferential arrangement,

wherein the volute wall defines at least one fuel injection opening through which the primary fuel injector is extended at least partially into the combustion chamber, and
wherein the secondary fuel injector is configured to provide a flow of fuel to the combustion chamber and the tertiary fuel injector is configured to provide a flow of fuel to the primary flow passage.

11. The combustor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flow passage wall extends

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Boardman Gregory Allen
• Naik Pradeep
• Zelina Joseph
• Cooper Clayton Stuart

Classifications

• F23R3/06

  Arrangement of apertures along the flame tube · CPC title

• F23R3/50

  Combustion chambers comprising an annular flame tube within an annular casing (toroidal combustion chambers F23R3/52) · CPC title

• F02C3/14

  characterised by the arrangement of the combustion chamber in the plant (combustion chambers per se F23R; F02C3/205 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F23R2900/00015

  Trapped vortex combustion chambers · CPC title

• F23R3/346

  for staged combustion · CPC title