Axially oriented internally mounted continuous ignition device: removable nozzle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11754289-B2
Application number	US-202017125114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2020
Priority date	Dec 17, 2020
Publication date	Sep 12, 2023
Grant date	Sep 12, 2023

Abstract

An embodiment of a combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor case, a combustor liner disposed within the combustor case, a fuel nozzle at an upstream end of the combustor liner, a torch igniter within the combustor case, and a removable fuel injector. The torch igniter includes a combustion chamber, a cap configured to receive a removable fuel injector and a surface igniter, a tip, an annular igniter wall extending from the cap to the tip and defining a radial extent of the combustion chamber, a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall, and an outlet passage within the tip which fluidly connects the combustion chamber to the combustor. The removable fuel injector extends through a fuel injector opening of the combustor case. The diameter of the fuel injector opening is wider than a fuel injector diameter of the removable fuel injector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A combustor of a gas turbine engine oriented about an engine axis, the combustor comprising:
a combustor case extending along a primary combustor centerline to convey compressed airflow from a compressor to a turbine section;
a combustor liner disposed within the combustor case to define a main combustor zone;
a fuel nozzle situated at an upstream end of the combustor liner, relative to the primary combustor centerline;
a removable fuel injector, wherein the removable fuel injector extends through a fuel injector opening of the combustor case having an opening diameter; and
a torch igniter situated within the combustor case, the torch igniter comprising:
a combustion chamber extending along a torch igniter axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber with respect to the torch igniter axis and situated within the combustor case;
a cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber with respect to the torch igniter axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive at least one surface igniter and the removable fuel injector;
a tip defining the axially downstream end of the combustion chamber with respect to the torch igniter axis;
an annular igniter wall extending along and surrounding the torch igniter axis from the cap to the tip and defining a radial extent of the combustion chamber;
a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall; and
an outlet passage defined by the igniter wall within the tip, wherein the outlet passage is fluidly connected to the combustion chamber;

wherein the opening diameter is wider than a fuel injector diameter of the removable fuel injector, the cap comprises an aperture which is configured to receive a fuel injector feedarm of the removable fuel injector and a seal which is configured to engage with the fuel injector feedarm of the removable fuel injector, and a feedarm width of the fuel injector feedarm defines the fuel injector diameter.

2. The combustor of claim 1 , further comprising a flange which is connected to the combustor case and which secures the removable fuel injector within the fuel injector opening and to the combustor case.

3. The combustor of claim 2 , wherein the flange creates a seal between the combustor case and the removable fuel injector.

4. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a flared conical area.

5. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injector feedarm includes a turn to engage with the seal.

6. The combustor of claim 5 , wherein the fuel injector feedarm turns 90 degrees to engage with the seal.

7. The combustor of claim 6 , wherein the feedarm width is defined by the section of the fuel injector feedarm between the seal and the turn of the fuel injector feedarm.

8. A method of replacing a first removable fuel injector for a torch igniter within a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
disconnecting a fuel feed line from the first removable fuel injector;
detaching a flange from a combustor case of the gas turbine engine, the combustor case comprising a fuel injector opening configured to receive the first removable fuel injector, wherein the combustor case extends along a primary combustor centerline to convey compressed airflow from a compressor to a turbine section, the combustor further comprising a combustor liner disposed within the combustor case to define a main combustor zone and a fuel nozzle situated at an upstream end of the combustor liner relative to the primary combustor centerline;
disengaging the first removable fuel injector from a cap of the torch igniter, the torch igniter 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 and along the axis, wherein the combustion chamber is located within the combustor case;
the cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive at least one surface igniter and the first removable fuel injector, the opening diameter is wider than a fuel injector diameter of the removable fuel injector, the cap comprises an aperture which is configured to receive a fuel injector feedarm of the first removable fuel injector and a seal which is configured to engage with the fuel injector feedarm of the first removable fuel injector, and a feedarm width of the fuel injector feedarm defines the fuel injector diameter;
a tip defining the axially downstream end of the combustion chamber with respect to the axis;
an annular igniter wall extending from the cap to the tip and defining a radial extent of the combustion chamber;
a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall; and an outlet passage defined by the igniter wall within the tip, wherein the outlet passage is fluidly connected to the combustion chamber;

removing the first removable fuel injector from the torch igniter through the fuel injector opening of the combustor case;
inserting a second removable fuel injector into the fuel injector opening of the combustor case;
engaging the second removable fuel injector with the cap of the torch igniter;
reattaching the flange to the combustor case; and
connecting the fuel feed line to the second removable fuel injector.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the flange creates a seal between the combustor case and the first removable fuel injector.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the seal comprises a flared conical area.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein engaging the second removable fuel injector with the cap of the torch igniter comprises providing force with a fuel injector feedarm of the second removable fuel injector.

Assignees

• Delavan Inc

Inventors

• Ryon Jason
• Williams Brandon P
• Prociw Lev Alexander

Classifications

• F23R3/283 Primary

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

• F23R3/343 Primary

  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

• F02C7/264

  Ignition · CPC title

• F23R2900/00019

  Repairing or maintaining combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title

• F23R2900/00017

  Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title