Combustor cap assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9890954-B2
Application number	US-201414462639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2014
Priority date	Aug 19, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

A combustor cap assembly includes an impingement plate coupled to an annular shroud and a cap plate which is coupled to the impingement plate and forms an impingement air plenum therebetween. The cap assembly further includes a flow conditioning plate which is coupled to a forward end portion of the shroud. The flow conditioning plate includes an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion which extends radially therebetween. The annular portion includes upstream side, a downstream side and a plurality of flow conditioning passages which provide for fluid communication through the upstream and downstream sides. The inner band portion of the flow conditioning plate at least partially defines an exhaust channel. The exhaust channel is in fluid communication with the impingement air plenum and an exhaust outlet. The exhaust outlet is positioned to route cooling air from the impingement air plenum into an annular flow passage defined within a combustor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A combustor cap assembly, comprising:
an impingement plate coupled to an aft end portion of an annular shroud;
a cap plate coupled to the impingement plate, the cap plate and the impingement plate defining an impingement air plenum therebetween; and
a flow conditioning plate coupled to a forward end portion of the annular shroud, the flow conditioning plate having an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion which extends radially between the inner and outer band portions, with respect to a longitudinal axis of the combustor cap assembly, the annular portion having an upstream side and a downstream side, with respect to a flow through the flow conditioning plate, the annular portion defining a plurality of flow conditioning passages which provide for fluid communication through the upstream and downstream sides;
wherein the inner band portion of the flow conditioning plate at least partially defines an exhaust channel, the exhaust channel having an exhaust outlet and being connected to, and in fluid communication with, the impingement air plenum by a tube disposed radially inward of the annular shroud and configured such that air flows through the exhaust channel from the impingement air plenum to the exhaust outlet.

2. The combustor cap assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the exhaust outlet extends through a radially outer surface of the inner band portion upstream from the plurality of flow conditioning passages.

3. The combustor cap assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the exhaust outlet extends through a radially outer surface of the inner band portion downstream from the plurality of flow conditioning passages.

4. The combustor cap assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the inner band portion at least partially defines a cooling air exhaust plenum within the inner band portion, the cooling air exhaust plenum being in fluid communication with the exhaust channel and the exhaust outlet.

5. The combustor cap assembly as in claim 1 , wherein the exhaust channel is further defined within the annular portion of the flow conditioning plate.

6. The combustor cap assembly as in claim 5 , wherein the exhaust outlet is disposed within one or more flow conditioning passages of the plurality of flow conditioning passages.

7. The combustor cap as in claim 5 , wherein the exhaust outlet is disposed along the downstream side of the annular portion of the flow conditioning plate.

8. A combustor, comprising:
a fuel nozzle extending axially within an outer casing, wherein the outer casing defines a high pressure plenum within the combustor; and
a combustor cap assembly surrounding at least a portion of the fuel nozzle within the outer casing, the combustor cap assembly comprising:
an impingement plate coupled to an aft end portion of an annular shroud and a cap plate coupled to the impingement plate, the impingement plate and the annular shroud at least partially defining a cooling air plenum, the cap plate and the impingement plate defining an impingement air plenum in fluid communication with the cooling air plenum; and
a flow conditioning plate coupled to a forward end portion of the annular shroud, the flow conditioning plate having an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion which extends radially between the inner band portion and the outer band portion, with respect to a longitudinal axis of the combustor, the annular portion being disposed within an annular flow passage, the annular flow passage providing for fluid communication between the high pressure plenum and a head end portion of the combustor;
wherein the annular portion includes an upstream side, with respect to a flow through the flow conditioning plate, a downstream side and a plurality of flow conditioning passages which provide for fluid communication from the high pressure plenum through the annular portion and into the head end portion;
wherein the inner band portion at least partially defines an exhaust channel having an exhaust outlet, the exhaust channel being connected to, and in fluid communication with, the impingement air plenum by a tube disposed radially inward of the annular shroud and configured such that air flows through the exhaust channel from the impingement air plenum to the exhaust outlet;
wherein the exhaust outlet is in fluid communication with the annular flow passage.

9. The combustor as in claim 8 , wherein the exhaust outlet extends through a radially outer surface of the inner band portion upstream from the plurality of flow conditioning passages.

10. The combustor as in claim 8 , wherein the exhaust outlet extends through a radially outer surface of the inner hand portion downstream from the plurality of flow conditioning passages.

11. The combustor as in claim 8 , wherein the inner band portion at least partially defines a cooling air exhaust plenum within the inner band portion, the cooling air exhaust plenum being in fluid communication with the exhaust channel and the exhaust outlet.

12. The combustor as in claim 8 , wherein the exhaust channel is further defined within the annular portion of the flow conditioning plate.

13. The combustor as in claim 12 , wherein the exhaust outlet is disposed within one flow conditioning passage of the plurality of flow conditioning passages.

14. The combustor as in claim 12 , wherein the exhaust outlet is disposed along the downstream side of the annular portion of the flow conditioning plate.

15. A gas turbine, comprising:
a compressor section, a combustion section downstream from the compressor section and a turbine section disposed downstream from the combustion section, the combustion section including a combustor at least partially surrounded by an outer casing which defines a high pressure plenum in fluid communication with the compressor section, the combustor including a fuel nozzle extending axially within the outer casing and a combustor cap assembly which circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the fuel nozzle, the combustor cap assembly comprising:
an impingement plate coupled to an aft end portion of an annular shroud and a cap plate coupled to the impingement plate, the impingement plate and the annular shroud at least partially defining a cooling air plenum, the cap plate and the impingement plate defining an impingement air plenum in fluid communication with the cooling air plenum; and
a flow conditioning plate coupled to a forward end portion of the annular shroud, the flow conditioning plate having an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion which extends radially between the inner band portion and the outer band portion, with respect to a longitudinal axis of the combustor, the annular portion being disposed within an annular flow passage, the annular flow passage providing for fluid communication between the high pressure plenum and a head end portion of the combustor;
wherein the annular portion includes an upstream side, with respect to a flow through the flow conditioning plate, a downstream side and a plurality of flow conditioning passages which provide for fluid communication from the high pressure plenum through the annular portion and into the head end portion;
wherein the inner band portion at least partially defines an exhaust channel, the exhaust channel being in fluid communication with the impingement air plenum;
wherein the exhaust channel is in fluid communication with an exhaust outlet, the exhaust outlet being in fluid communication with the annular flow passage such that air flows through the exhaust channel from the impingement air plenum to the exhaust outlet du

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Carnell Jr William Francis
• Antoniono Carolyn Ashley
• Kegley Jonathan Hale
• Chong Yon Han

Classifications

• F05D2260/201

  by impingement of a fluid · CPC title

• F23R3/60

  Support structures; Attaching or mounting means · CPC title

• F23R3/26

  Controlling the air flow · CPC title

• F23R3/283 Primary

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

• F05B2260/205

  Cooling fluid recirculation, i.e. after having cooled one or more components the cooling fluid is recovered and used elsewhere for other purposes · CPC title