United Technologies Corporation

Howard Olsen

James B Hoke

Robert M Sonntag

Daryl B Mountz

A low emissions combustor can 18 for an aircraft gas turbine engine includes a louvered combustor liner 24 with three arrays of dilution holes 52, 54, 56. The first hole array comprises twelve equally sized, equiangularly distributed holes that penetrates the liner about midway along its axial length. The second hole array comprises twelve equally sized holes, smaller than the holes of the first array, that penetrate the liner a predetermined distance aft of the first hole array. The holes of the second array are equiangularly distributed and each second hole is circumferentially aligned with a first hole. A third hole array penetrates the liner a predefined distance aft of the first array. The third holes are nonuniformly sized and nonequiangularly distributed to regulate the spatial temperature profile of combustion gases exiting the combustor can. The quantity, size, distribution and location of the holes mitigates undesirable exhaust emissions without affecting the performance or durability of the engine. Accordingly, the combustor can may be used to replace an existing combustor can in an older generation gas turbine engine.

Low emissions can combustor with dilution hole arrangement for a turbine

A coolable stator assembly formed of wall segments 36 for bounding a working medium flow path 14 is disclosed. The wall segments extend circumferentially about the working medium flow path and are circumferentially spaced leaving a clearance gap G therebetween. A duct 148 for cooling air is formed by the facing sides 144, 146 of the wall segments and a pair of radially spaced seal elements such as an inner seal plate 134 and an outer air seal plate 136. In one embodiment, a primary flow path for cooling air extends radially outwardly of the wall segments and the working medium flow path extends radially inwardly of the wall segments. The duct is pressurized with cooling air from an adjacent location at an intermediate pressure between the primary flow path 32 and the working medium flow path 14.

Growing community of inventors

Wethersfield, CT, United States of America

Howard Olsen