Gas turbine engine combustor apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020309374-A1
Application number	US-202016819354-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Mar 28, 2019
Publication date	Oct 1, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present relates to combustor apparatus for a gas turbine engine comprising a bulkhead (34) an inner support ring (70) and an outer support ring (84) at end upstream end thereof. The bulkhead (34) has an inner surface (40), when in use is provided on an internal surface of a combustor (16) and exposed to combustion products and an outer surface (41) provided on an external surface of the combustor when in use; an inner mating feature to cooperate with the inner support ring (70); and an outer mating feature to cooperate with the outer support ring (84). In use, the inner and outer mating features prevent axial motion of the bulkhead relative to the inner (70) and outer (84) support rings.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A combustor apparatus for a gas turbine engine, the apparatus comprising an inner support ring, and outer support ring and a bulkhead at an upstream end of the combustor apparatus, the bulkhead comprising:
an inner surface exposed to combustion products and provided on an internal surface of a combustor in use; an outer surface provided on an external surface of a combustor in use; an inner mating feature to cooperate with the inner support ring; and an outer mating feature to cooperate with the outer support ring; wherein in use, the inner and outer mating features prevent axial motion of the bulkhead relative to the inner and outer support rings.

2 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inner surface and the outer surface of the bulkhead are either or both of integrally and monolithically formed as opposing surfaces of a single wall structure.

3 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein either or both of the inner mating feature and the outer mating feature is configured to permit radial expansion or contraction of the bulkhead whilst preventing axial movement.

4 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein either or both of the inner mating feature and the outer mating feature is aligned in the radial direction.

5 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inner support ring comprises a cooperating mating feature to cooperate with the inner mating feature of the bulkhead.

6 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outer support ring comprises a cooperating mating feature to cooperate with the outer mating feature of the bulkhead.

7 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein either or both of the inner mating feature and the outer mating feature comprises one or more of a projection, recess, or wall, extending substantially in the radial direction.

8 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the combustor apparatus further comprises a lock ring; and
wherein the cooperating mating feature of either or both of the inner support ring and the outer support ring comprises a first wall, and in use, the first wall combines with a wall of the lock ring to form a recess.

9 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inner support ring comprises a second mating feature to cooperate with a combustor inner liner.

10 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outer support ring ( 84 ) comprises a second mating feature to cooperate with a combustor outer liner.

11 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , where the bulkhead comprises an aperture and a fuel spray nozzle seal, the seal provided within the aperture.

12 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , where the bulkhead comprises a metering panel and is devoid of a heat shield mounted over the metering panel.

13 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , where the bulkhead comprises a nickel alloy.

14 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , where the bulkhead is formed by an additive layer manufacturing process.

15 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , where the bulkhead comprises a ceramic matrix composite.

16 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , where the seal depends from either or both of the inner and outer surface of the bulkhead.

17 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , where the bulkhead comprises a plurality of adjacent segments each having an inner surface portion and an outer surface portion, the adjacent segments being aligned such that the inner and outer surface portions thereof collectively define the inner and outer surface of the bulkhead.

18 . The combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the adjacent segments are either or both of aligned in a common plane and arranged to form an annular ring.

19 . A gas turbine engine comprising the combustor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .

20 . A method of manufacturing a bulkhead for a combustor as claimed in claim 1 , comprising using an additive layer manufacturing process

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Hucker Paul A
• Morgan Iain
• Geary Alan P

Classifications

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F05D2240/35

  Combustors or associated equipment · CPC title

• F23R3/10

  for primary air (F23R3/06, F23R3/045 take precedence) · CPC title

• F23R2900/00012

  Details of sealing devices · CPC title

• F23R2900/00017

  Assembling combustion chamber liners or subparts · CPC title