Combustion chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018031242-A1
Application number	US-201715637209-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	Feb 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gas turbine engine combustion chamber comprises upstream and downstream ring structures and a plurality of circumferentially arranged combustion chamber segments. Each segment extends the full length of the combustion chamber and each segment is secured to the upstream ring structure and is mounted on the downstream ring structure. The upstream end of each combustion chamber segment comprises a surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending holes and the upstream ring structure having a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes extending radially through a portion abutting the surface of the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment. Each combustion chamber segment being removably secured to the upstream ring structure by a plurality of fasteners locatable in the holes in the combustion chamber segment and corresponding holes in the upstream ring structure.

First claim

1 . A combustion chamber comprising an upstream ring structure, a downstream ring structure and a plurality of circumferentially arranged combustion chamber segments,
each combustion chamber segment extending the full length of the combustion chamber, each combustion chamber segment comprising a frame structure and an inner wall, the frame structure and the inner wall being integral, an upstream end of each combustion chamber segment being secured to the upstream ring structure and a downstream end of each combustion chamber segment being mounted on the downstream ring structure, wherein the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment comprises a surface having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending holes, the upstream ring structure having a portion abutting the surface of the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment, a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes extending radially through the portion of the upstream ring structure abutting the surface of the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment and each combustion chamber segment being removably secured to the upstream ring structure by a plurality of fasteners locatable in the holes in the combustion chamber segment and corresponding holes in the upstream ring structure, each combustion chamber segment having a hole cooperating with a corresponding hole in the upstream ring structure to circumferentially position the combustion chamber segment relative to the upstream ring structure and each combustion chamber segment having a further hole cooperating with a further corresponding hole in the upstream ring structure to allow relative circumferential thermal expansion between the combustion chamber segment and the upstream ring structure wherein one of the further hole and the further corresponding hole being circumferentially slotted.

2 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upstream ring structure having a plurality of first holes and a plurality of second holes, the first and second holes being arranged circumferentially alternately around the upstream ring structure, each first hole has the same diameter as the diameter of the holes in the frame structure of the combustion chamber segments, each second hole is circumferentially slotted, each first hole is aligned axially and circumferentially with a hole in a corresponding combustion chamber segment and each second hole is aligned axially with another hole in the corresponding combustion chamber segment to allow relative circumferential thermal expansion between the combustion chamber segment and the upstream ring structure.

3 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame structure at the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment having a first hole and a circumferentially spaced second hole, the first and second holes of the combustion chamber segments being arranged circumferentially alternately, each first hole has the same diameter as the diameter of the holes in the upstream ring structure, each second hole is circumferentially slotted, each first hole is aligned axially and circumferentially with a corresponding hole in the upstream ring structure and each second hole is aligned axially with a corresponding hole in the upstream ring structure to allow relative circumferential thermal expansion between the combustion chamber segment and the upstream ring structure.

4 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment being removably secured to the upstream ring structure by nuts and bolts.

5 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber is selected from the group consisting of an annular combustion chamber and a tubular combustion chamber.

6 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 5 wherein the combustion chamber segments form a radially outer annular wall of the annular combustion chamber.

7 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 6 wherein the combustion chamber segments form a radially inner annular wall of the annular combustion chamber.

8 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber is a gas turbine engine combustion chamber.

9 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 8 wherein the gas turbine engine is an aero gas turbine engine, a marine gas turbine engine, an industrial gas turbine engine or an automotive gas turbine engine.

10 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 9 wherein the aero gas turbine engine is a turbofan gas turbine engine, a turbojet gas turbine engine, a turbo propeller gas turbine engine or a turbo shaft gas turbine engine.

11 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least some of the holes extending radially through the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment being axially slotted.

12 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein all of the holes extending radially through the upstream end of each combustion chamber segment being axially slotted.

13 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein the combustion chamber comprising a cowl, the cowl being secured to the upstream ring structure, the cowl having a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending holes, the cowl being removably secured to the upstream ring structure by a plurality of fasteners locatable in the holes in the cowl, corresponding holes in the combustion chamber segments and corresponding holes in the upstream ring structure.

14 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 13 wherein the corresponding holes in the combustion chamber segments being cylindrical and having a larger diameter than the corresponding holes in the upstream ring structure, a first plurality of the holes in the cowl being cylindrical and having the same diameter as the corresponding holes in the upstream ring structure and a second plurality of holes in the cowl being circumferentially slotted.

15 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 13 wherein the cowl having a downstream end, the downstream end of the cowl having a plurality of circumferentially spaced scallops, each scallop being located at an interface between two adjacent combustion chamber segments, and the fasteners securing two adjacent combustion chamber segments to the upstream ring structure being located in a respective one of the scallops.

16 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 13 wherein the cowl having a downstream end, the downstream end of the cowl having a plurality of circumferentially spaced flaps, each flap being located at an interface between two adjacent combustion chamber segments, and the fasteners securing two adjacent combustion chamber segments to the upstream ring structure being located under a respective one of the flaps.

17 . A combustion chamber as claimed in claim 1 wherein each combustion chamber segment comprises a box like structure, the box like structure comprising the frame structure, the inner wall and an outer wall, and the frame structure, the inner wall and the outer wall being integral.

18 . A combustion chamber segment as claimed in claim 1 wherein each combustion chamber segment comprising a first edge and a second edge spaced circumferentially from the first edge, the first edge of each combustion chamber segment having a first hook arranged at a first radial distance, the second edge of each combustion chamber having a second hook arranged at a second radial distance and the second radial distance being greater than the first radial distance, the first hook of each combustion chamber segment engag

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Harding Stephen C
• Hucker Paul A

Classifications

• F23R3/46

  Combustion chambers comprising an annular arrangement of {several essentially tubular} flame tubes within a common annular casing or within individual casings · CPC title

• F23R3/20 Primary

  incorporating fuel injection means · CPC title

• F23R2900/00005

  Preventing fatigue failures or reducing mechanical stress in gas turbine components · CPC title

• F23R3/44

  Combustion chambers comprising a {single} tubular flame tube within a tubular casing (reverse-flow combustion chambers F23R3/54) · CPC title

• F23R3/08

  between annular flame tube sections, e.g. flame tubes with telescopic sections · CPC title