Combustor for a gas turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11959643-B2
Application number	US-202117340856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2021
Priority date	Jun 7, 2021
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

A combustor for a gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal centerline extending in a longitudinal direction, a radial direction extending orthogonally outward from the longitudinal centerline, and a circumferential direction extending concentrically around the longitudinal centerline, the combustor including: a forward liner segment; an aft liner segment disposed downstream from the forward liner segment relative to a direction of flow through the combustor, the forward and aft liner segments at least partially defining a combustion chamber; and an intermediate member disposed at least partially between the forward and aft liner segments and extending in the circumferential direction.

First claim

We claim:

1. A combustor for a gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal centerline extending in a longitudinal direction, a radial direction extending orthogonally outward from the longitudinal centerline, and a circumferential direction extending concentrically around the longitudinal centerline, the combustor comprising:
a forward liner segment;
an aft liner segment disposed downstream from the forward liner segment relative to a direction of flow through the combustor, the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment at least partially defining a combustion chamber; and
an intermediate member disposed at least partially between the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment and extending in the circumferential direction, the intermediate member comprising:
a feature configured to interface with a radially outer surface, with respect to the longitudinal centerline, of the forward liner segment or the aft liner segment; and
a fence extending into the combustion chamber in the radial direction, with respect to the longitudinal centerline, and continuously in the circumferential direction.

2. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment are coupled together through the intermediate member.

3. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member is additively manufactured.

4. The combustor of claim 3 , wherein a coupling between the aft liner segment or the forward liner segment and the intermediate member is a brazed connection, a bolted connection, a welded connection, an interference fit, a swaged connection, or any combination thereof.

5. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member is free floating relative to the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment.

6. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the feature comprises a first sealing interface with the forward liner segment and a second sealing interface with the aft liner segment.

7. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member is integral to at least one of the forward liner segment or the aft liner segment.

8. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the forward liner segment comprises a first material, wherein the aft liner segment comprises a second material, wherein the intermediate member comprises a third material, and wherein the third material is different than at least one of the first material or the second material.

9. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member comprises one or more spacers disposed between the intermediate member and at least one of the forward liner segment or the aft liner segment, and wherein the spacer is a piston seal, a spring seal, or another seal, configured to control airflow through the intermediate member.

10. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member is biased toward the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment by a support extending from a case of the gas turbine engine to the intermediate member.

11. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member comprises one or more windows configured to pass cooling medium into the combustion chamber of the gas turbine engine, the one or more windows being in fluid communication with a dilution slot extending between the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment.

12. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member forms a moveable interface relative to at least one of the forward liner segment or the aft liner segment.

13. An intermediate member for a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine defining a longitudinal centerline extending in a longitudinal direction, a radial direction extending orthogonally outward from the longitudinal centerline, and a circumferential direction extending concentrically around the longitudinal centerline, the combustor having a forward liner segment and an aft liner segment, the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment at least partially defining a combustion chamber, the intermediate member comprising:
an annular body configured to be disposed at least partially within a gap formed between the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment;
a feature configured to interface with a radially outer surface, with respect to the longitudinal centerline, of the forward liner segment or the aft liner segment; and
a fence extending into the combustion chamber in the radial direction, with respect to the longitudinal centerline, and continuously in the circumferential direction.

14. The intermediate member of claim 13 , wherein the annular body comprises one or more windows configured to pass dilution air through a dilution slot formed between the forward liner segment and the aft liner segment and into the combustion chamber.

15. The intermediate member of claim 13 , wherein the feature comprises a first sealing interface with the forward liner segment and a second sealing interface with the aft liner segment.

16. The intermediate member of claim 13 , wherein the annular body is configured to move in the longitudinal direction relative to at least one of the forward liner segment or the aft liner segment.

17. The intermediate member of claim 13 , wherein the annular body comprises one or more internal passageways configured to transmit dilution air through the annular body to the combustion chamber.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Sampath Karthikeyan
• Naik Pradeep
• Vanapalli Veeraraju
• Vukanti Perumallu
• Birmaher Shai
• Kirtley Daniel J
• Ghiya Deepak
• Rangrej Rimple Rakeshkumar
• Singh Saket
• Ganiger Ravindra Shankar
• Nath Hiranya Kumar
• Benjamin Michael Anthony
• Wankhade Rajendra Mahadeorao

Classifications

• F23R3/60 Primary

  Support structures; Attaching or mounting means · CPC title

• F23R3/06

  Arrangement of apertures along the flame tube · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F23R2900/00012

  Details of sealing devices · CPC title

• F23R2900/00017

  Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title