Power plants – Combustion products used as motive fluid – Combustion products generator
Reexamination Certificate
1994-09-14
2001-02-06
Thorpe, Timothy S. (Department: 3403)
Power plants
Combustion products used as motive fluid
Combustion products generator
C060S747000, C060S753000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182451
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention pertains to combustors for gas turbine engines, and pertains more particularly to an improved hybrid combustor incorporating the ceramic can combustors and a metallic annular combustor.
1. Background of the Invention
Gas turbine engine efficiency increases with increased temperature. To this end, it has been proposed to utilize ceramic components within gas turbine engines, particularly at the highest temperature locations therein, to increase gas turbine engine maximum temperatures. Utilization of ceramics, such as ceramic matrix composites, in the combustor of the gas turbine engine is therefore highly desirable.
However, ceramic material such as ceramic matrix composites are sensitive to the temperature difference through the thickness of the material. The temperature difference between the hot interior and the cooler exterior generate thermal stresses resulting in cracking of the ceramic matrix. This limits the allowable wall thickness of the design making it difficult to produce a conventional annular ceramic combustor configuration of a reasonably large diameter which needs larger wall thickness to withstand the buckling pressures associated with the larger diameters. Ceramic designs are thus limited by small diameter, low pressure drop, low heat loading, or a reduced combination of such factors, which ultimately limit the combustor performance.
2. Summary of the Invention
Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved combustor for a gas turbine engine which utilizes ceramic materials in a geometric configuration which avoids the problems normally associated with such use of ceramics. More particularly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a hybrid combustor having a plurality of can-type ceramic combustors disposed in a circular array, along with a conventional metallic annular combustor construction. summary, the present invention contemplates a plurality of ceramic can combustors each having a cylindrical ceramic wall, wherein primary, fuel-rich combustion occurs, along with a single annular, metallic combustor which receives the exhaust of the fuel-rich burn from all of the can combustors, along with pressurized air flow from the combustor inlet. Fuel-lean combustion continues to occur in the annular metallic combustor as a continuation of the fuel-rich combustion process in each of the can combustors. In this manner the ceramic cylindrical walls of the can combustors can be made of relatively small diameter to minimize thermal stresses and buckling forces thereon.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are specifically set forth in or will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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patent: 3594109 (1971-07-01), Penny
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patent: 3990231 (1976-11-01), Irwin
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patent: 588572 (1947-05-01), None
Enabling Propulsion Materials Program, Quarterly Technical Progress Report-Contract NAS3-26385 dated Apr. 25, 1994.
Hazard, H.R., No Emission from Experimental Compact Combustors, ASME 72-GT-105, Mar. 1972. pp.1-8.
Allied-Signal Inc.
McFarland James W.
Thorpe Timothy S.
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