Thermally-coupled fuel manifold

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016305667-A1
Application number	US-201514685631-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 14, 2015
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel manifold apparatus includes an annular array of fuel nozzles interconnected by a plurality of manifold tubes, wherein each manifold tube includes at least two fuel passages integrally formed therein, the fuel passages being configured for conduction heat transfer therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fuel manifold apparatus, comprising: an annular array of fuel nozzles interconnected by a plurality of manifold tubes, wherein each manifold tube includes at least two fuel passages integrally formed therein, the fuel passages being configured for conduction heat transfer therebetween.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each manifold tube is a monolithic component formed using an additive manufacturing process.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each manifold tube includes:
a pilot primary fuel passage;
a pilot secondary fuel passage; and
a main fuel passage.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each fuel nozzle includes:
a pilot primary fuel circuit and a pilot primary fuel nozzle connected in fluid communication with the pilot primary fuel passage;
a pilot secondary fuel circuit and a pilot secondary fuel nozzle connected in fluid communication with the pilot secondary fuel passage; and
a main fuel circuit and a main fuel ring connected in fluid communication with the main fuel passage.

5 . The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:
a fuel system operable to supply a flow of liquid fuel at varying flowrates;
a pilot primary fuel conduit coupled between the fuel system and the pilot primary fuel passages;
a pilot secondary fuel conduit coupled between the fuel system and the pilot secondary fuel passages; and
a main fuel conduit coupled between the fuel system and the main fuel passages.

6 . The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:
the main fuel passage is centrally located within a cross-sectional shape of the manifold tube;
the pilot primary fuel passage is arcuate and disposed concentrically with the main fuel passage; and
the pilot secondary fuel passage is arcuate and disposed concentrically with the main fuel passage.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each manifold tube includes a tube segment with an end flange disposed at first and second ends thereof.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
each fuel nozzle is coupled to a valve housing which includes a coupling flange; and each coupling flange is connected to the end flanges of two adjacent ones of the manifold tubes.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each valve housing includes:
the coupling flange;
a mounting flange disposed perpendicular to the coupling flange; and
at least one lobe disposed between the coupling flange and the mounting flange.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the at least one lobe includes a splitter valve disposed therein.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the valve housing is a monolithic component formed using an additive manufacturing process.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each manifold tube connects alternate ones of the fuel nozzles.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
the manifold is configured as first and second rings of manifold tubes;
the first ring interconnects a first group of the fuel nozzles;
the second ring interconnects a second group of the fuel nozzles; and
wherein the fuel nozzles of the first group alternate with the fuel nozzles of the second group.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the manifold tubes of the first ring are interlaced with the manifold tubes of the second ring.

15 . A rotary machine, comprising:
a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine arranged in serial flow communication and operable to generate a core flow; a fuel manifold, comprising: an annular array of fuel nozzles communicating with the combustor, the fuel nozzles interconnected by a plurality of manifold tubes, wherein each manifold tube includes at least two fuel passages integrally formed therein, the fuel passages being configured for conduction heat transfer therebetween.

16 . The rotary machine of claim 15 further comprising a second turbine arranged to extract energy from the core flow and to drive a fan.

17 . A method of assembling a fuel manifold, comprising:
positioning an annular array of fuel nozzles in communication with a combustor; interconnecting the fuel nozzles using a plurality of manifold tubes, wherein each manifold tube includes at least two fuel passages integrally formed therein, the fuel passages being configured for conduction heat transfer therebetween.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein:
each manifold tube includes a pilot primary fuel passage, a pilot secondary fuel passage, and a main fuel passage; and
each fuel nozzle includes: a pilot primary fuel circuit communicating with a pilot primary fuel nozzle, a pilot secondary fuel circuit communicating with a pilot secondary fuel nozzle, and a main fuel circuit communicating with a main fuel ring;
the method further comprising connecting the fuel circuits of the fuel nozzles in fluid communication with the respective fuel passages of the manifold tubes.

19 . The method of claim 17 wherein each fuel nozzle is coupled to a valve housing which includes a coupling flange, the method further comprising connecting each coupling flange to end flanges of two adjacent ones of the manifold tubes.

20 . The method of claim 17 wherein each manifold tube is a monolithic component formed using an additive manufacturing process.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Wolfe Jared Matthew

Classifications

• B23P15/00

  Making specific metal objects by operations not covered by a single other subclass or a group in this subclass · 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

• F02C7/222 Primary

  Fuel flow conduits, e.g. manifolds · CPC title

• F16L39/00

  Joints or fittings for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies {(quick-acting joints for double-walled or multi-channel pipes or pipe assemblies F16L37/56)} · CPC title

• F05D2230/31

  Layer deposition · CPC title