Power plants – Combustion products used as motive fluid – Combustion products generator
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-31
2003-04-29
Casaregola, Louis J. (Department: 3746)
Power plants
Combustion products used as motive fluid
Combustion products generator
C060S732000, C060S804000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06553765
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention deals with a turboreactor or turbojet engine comprising at least a precombustion chamber, a combustion chamber, means for directing combustion gases from the precombustion chamber into the combustion chamber, an air compressor, and means for dividing the air flow from the air compressor while guiding it in the combustion chamber.
THE PRIOR ART
Document GB-A-650,661 discloses a turboreactor comprising at least one compressor drawing and compressing air so as to form at least one principal compressed air flow, one or more combustion chambers, at least one means for supplying fuel to the combustion chamber(s), at least one means for supplying an oxidizing means or air in the combustion chamber(s), and at least one turbine receiving the combustion gases of the combustion chamber(s), said turbine driving the compressor and being followed by an outlet nozzle.
In this known turboreactor, the principal or major airflow of the compressor is essentially used for the combustion of fuel and is introduced, at reduced velocityand in a turbulent form, in the combustion chamber(s) before its use for the necessary mixing for ensuring the complete combustion and its passage through the turbine. The necessary perturbation of the principal air flow is required in order to ensure a substantially homogeneous mixing with the fuel, the production and the stability of the flame, the complete progression of the combustion, with an admissible temperature for the walls of the chamber(s) and for the turbine blades.
Other turbojet engines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,473,881, 3,691,766, 4,168,609 and 5,177,956, the content of which is incorporated by reference.
In all these known engines, the combustion gases of a prechamber are not directed in the combustion chamber between two distinct compressed air flows coming from an air compressor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In order to avoid these drawbacks, the turboreactor or turbojet engine of the invention comprises at least one precombustion chamber comprising one or more means for supplying fuel and oxidizing medium (preferably air). The precombustion chamber comprises or is associated with means for directing the combustion gases from the prechamber into one or a plurality of combustion chambers. Advantageously, the means for directing the combustion gases from the prechamber into the combustion chamber is a part of the prechamber. The prechamber or precombustion chamber comprises advantageously a mixing and precombusting zone fuel-oxidizing means(preferably fuel-air), possibly preceded with a premixing zone fuel-oxidizing means (air) substantially without combustion.
The turboreactor of the present invention, with a prechamber with a reduced volume which is advantageously bent with respect to the combustion chamber, has the advantage to enable a reduction of the axial overall length (in the longitudinal axis) of the turboreactor, and also a reduction of pressure losses of the gases along their path through the zones necessary for a complete combustion. Moreover, the turboreactor comprises a means for directing at least a portion of the main stream of air flow of compressed air from the compressor in one, several, or each of the plurality of combustion chambers, said means being arranged in relation to the means for supplying the combustion gases from the prechamber in one, several or each of the plurality of combustion chambers so that at least a portion of the main stream (FP) of compressed air from the compressor which is guided into one, several or each of the plurality of combustion chambers creates an aspiration of the combustion gases from the prechamber (a depression formed in the combustion chamber extracting combustion gases from the prechamber) in order to ensure at least the transit of the gases from the prechamber to the combustion chamber and also for obtaining in said combustion chamber, a complementary, advantageously substantially complete combustion of the fuel which was not burnt in the precombustion chamber, such aspiration or sucking being advantageously combined with a mixing of the combustion gases with a portion of the main stream of compressed air in one, several or each of the plurality of combustion chambers. Advantageously, said means is agenced or adapted for ensuring also an air supply into the precombustion chamber.
It is clear that the turboreactor may comprise one or several precombustion chambers or prechambers of combustion associated to one or several combustion chambers. So, for example, the turboreactor comprises several distinct precombustion chambers whose combustion gases are directed in only one combustion chamber and/or several distinct precombustion chambers whose combustion gases are directed in several distinct combustion chambers, in particular whose combustion gases of each prechamber are directed in one distinct combustion chamber. In the present specification, “prechamber” or “precombustion chamber” means one or several distinct prechambers or precombustion chambers, in particular placed in parallel, while “chamber or combustion chamber” means one or several combustion chambers, in particular placed in parallel.
The turboreactor or turbojet of the invention has means for directing at least a portion of the main stream of compressed air from the compressor in the combustion chamber, said means having a series of passages dividing the main stream into a series of compressed air flows flowing in the combustion chamber. Said passages are designed with respect to the means directing the combustion gases from the precombustion chamber to the combustion chamber so that each mean directing the combustion gases from the precombustion chamber into the combustion is located between two passages dividing the main stream of compressed air and so that the compressed air flows issued from the division of the main air flow creates a depression in the combustion chamber with respect to the precombustion chamber and a suction of the combustion gases from the precombustion chamber into the combustion chamber. In said turbojet engine, a series of distinct flows of combustion gases from the precombustion chamber(s) (such as more than 3 flows, advantageously more than 4, preferably more than 5, most preferably more than 6, such as 7,10, or even more than 10) are formed. Said flows are separated the one from the other by a compressed airflow coming from the compressor.
Advantageously in the turboreactor or turbojet engine of the invention, the compressor and/or the means for directing at least a portion of the main stream of compressed air or principal compressed air flow from the compressor into the combustion chamber are arranged to ensure for the portion of the main stream entering the chamber at a velocity which is at least higher than the velocity of the gases flowing out of the prechamber, advantageously at least two times as high as the velocity of the gases flowing out of the prechamber, preferably at least five times as high as the velocity of the gases flowing out of the prechamber and in order to ensure that the combustion chamber is in depression at least in relation to the precombustion chamber, preferably in relation to the precombustion chamber and the surroundings of the precombustion chamber.
Advantageously, the means directing at least a part of the main stream or principal flow of compressed air coming from the compressor consists of a wall of the means ensuring the passage of gases from the prechamber to the chamber or of a wall associated to the means ensuring the passage of gases from the prechamber to the chamber.
Advantageously, the means directing at least a portion of the main stream or principal flow of compressed air flowing from the compressor to the combustion chamber is designed or adapted so that substantially all the compressed air flow flowing out of the compressor is directed to flow in the combustion chamber without being significantly disturbed either in velocity, either in direction. This embodiment is advantageous as it enables to
Casaregola Louis J.
Hovey & Williams, LLP
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