Torch ignitors with gas assist start

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11708793-B2
Application number	US-202017133054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2020
Priority date	Dec 23, 2020
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

An embodiment of a torch ignitor system for combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a torch ignitor, the torch ignitor having a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis. The torch ignitor system also includes a cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive a fuel injector and at least one glow plug, a tip at a downstream end of the combustion chamber, and a passage for pressurized oxygen containing gas passing through the cap from an exterior of the combustion chamber and in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. An embodiment of a method for starting a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A torch ignitor system for a main combustor of a gas turbine engine, comprises:
a torch ignitor comprising:
a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis;
a cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive a fuel injector and at least one glow plug;
a tip at the axially downstream end of the combustion chamber;
a passage for pressurized oxygen containing gas passing through the cap from an exterior of the combustion chamber and in fluid communication with the combustion chamber;

wherein the fuel injector in the cap that includes an air inlet and a separate liquid fuel inlet, wherein the cap includes an air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet of the fuel injector and a liquid fuel passage in fluid communication with the liquid fuel inlet of the fuel injector, and wherein the passage for the pressurized oxygen containing gas is at least partially within the air passage of the cap;
a high pressure engine case, wherein the cap is mounted to an opening through the high pressure engine case;
the main combustor, wherein the tip is connected to discharge combustion products into the main combustor to ignite a fuel/air mixture in the main combustor;
a source of pressurized air external of the high pressure engine case connected in fluid communication with the air passage of the cap;
a source of liquid fuel external of the high pressure engine case connected in fluid communication with the fuel injector in the cap;
a source of the pressurized oxygen containing gas external of the high pressure engine case connected in fluid communication with the cap;
a fuel injector seat defined in the cap configured to receive the fuel injector and provide passage for injecting the liquid fuel and the pressurized oxygen containing gas from the respective external source through the fuel injector into the combustion chamber; and
at least one glow plug seat defined in the cap configured to receive a respective glow plug of the at least one glow plug through the cap and into the combustion chamber,
wherein the at least one glow plug seat includes a first glow plug seat of a plurality of glow plug seats defined through the cap, wherein the glow plug seats are circumferentially spaced apart from one another around the axis, wherein the air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet of the fuel injector is defined in the cap radially inward from the glow plug seats.

2. The torch ignitor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the upstream end is mounted to the high pressure engine case and the tip is mounted to the main combustor within the high pressure engine case for fluid communication of the combustion products into the main combustor.

3. The torch ignitor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the passage for the pressurized oxygen containing gas is in fluid communication with the fuel injector for providing pressure-assist to the fuel injector from the external source of the pressurized oxygen containing gas.

4. The torch ignitor system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the passage for the pressurized oxygen containing gas of the cap is in fluid communication with the air inlet of the fuel injector so that both the pressurized oxygen containing gas from the passage for the pressurized oxygen containing gas in the cap and the pressurized air from the air passage both feed into an inlet of the fuel injector.

5. The torch ignitor system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of main fuel injectors mounted to the main combustor, wherein the combustion chamber of the torch ignitor is outside of the main combustor, and wherein none of the main fuel injectors includes a combustion chamber outside of the main combustor.

6. The torch ignitor system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a control valve in line between the source of the pressurized oxygen containing gas and the cap, wherein the control valve is configured to control supply from the source of the pressurized oxygen containing gas to the cap.

7. The torch ignitor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the source of the pressurized oxygen containing gas is a source of oxygen.

8. The torch ignitor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the source of the pressurized oxygen containing gas is a second source of air.

9. A torch ignitor system for a main combustor of a gas turbine engine, comprises:
a torch ignitor comprising:
a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis;
a cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive a fuel injector and at least one glow plug;
a tip at the axially downstream end of the combustion chamber;
a passage for pressurized oxygen containing gas passing through the cap from an exterior of the combustion chamber and in fluid communication with the combustion chamber;

wherein the fuel injector in the cap that includes an air inlet and a separate liquid fuel inlet, wherein the cap includes an air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet of the fuel injector and a liquid fuel passage in fluid communication with the liquid fuel inlet of the fuel injector;
a fuel injector seat defined in the cap configured to receive the fuel injector; and
at least one glow plug seat defined in the cap configured to receive a respective glow plug of the at least one glow plug through the cap and into the combustion chamber, wherein the at least one glow plug seat includes a first glow plug seat of a plurality of glow plug seats defined through the cap, wherein the glow plug seats are circumferentially spaced apart from one another around the axis, wherein the air passage in fluid communication with the air inlet of the fuel injector is defined in the cap radially inward from the glow plug seats, wherein that the passage for the pressurized oxygen containing gas is radially outward from the plurality of glow plug seats relative to the axis at an outlet of the passage for the pressurized oxygen containing gas;
a high pressure engine case, wherein the cap is mounted to an opening through the high pressure engine case;
the main combustor, wherein the tip is connected to discharge combustion products into the main combustor to ignite a fuel/air mixture in the main combustor;
a source of pressurized air external of the high pressure engine case connected in fluid communication with the air passage of the cap;
a source of liquid fuel external of the high pressure engine case connected in fluid communication with the fuel injector in the cap; and
a source of the pressurized oxygen containing gas external of the high pressure engine case connected in fluid communication with the cap.

Assignees

• Delavan Inc
• Collins Engine Nozzles Inc

Inventors

• Ryon Jason
• Williams Brandon Phillip

Classifications

• F02C7/04 Primary

  Air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants · CPC title

• F02C3/00

  Gas-turbine plants characterised by the use of combustion products as the working fluid (generated by intermittent combustion F02C5/00) · CPC title

• F02C7/264

  Ignition · CPC title

• F23R3/002

  Wall structures (F23R3/02 and F23R3/007 take precedence) · CPC title

• F23R3/343

  Pilot flames, i.e. fuel nozzles or injectors using only a very small proportion of the total fuel to insure continuous combustion (ignition in gas-turbine plants F02C7/264; pilot flame igniters F23Q9/00) · CPC title