General Electric Company

Paul Edward Sabla

Willard J Dodds

Steven Clayton Vise

Craig Douglas Young

Hukam Chand Mongia

James Neil Cooper

Gary L Leonard

Richard Wade Stickles

Steven Joseph Lohmueller

Douglas Marti Fortuna

Phillip D Napoli

Harjit Singh Hura

Beverly Stephenson Duncan

George E Cook

Jack Willard Smith, Jr

Douglas George Shafer

Thomas Michael Tucker

William T Houchens

Donald W Bahr

John W Vinson

Gary MacHolloway

Craig L Loconti

Pamela C Kwong

A fuel-air mixer for a gas turbine engine combustor having a primary swirler and a venturi that effectively reduces carboning via purge air. Purge air flows axially through the fuel-air mixer forming a boundary layer of air on the inner surface of the venturi. The boundary layer of air minimizes the amount of fuel contacting the inner surface of the venturi resulting in reduced carbon resin or coke formation.

Anti-carboning fuel-air mixer for a gas turbine engine combustor

A one-piece deflector-flare cone assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor that facilitates extending a useful life of the combustor in a cost-effective and reliable manner is described. The one-piece assembly includes a deflector portion and a flare cone portion. The deflector portion includes an integral opening that extends through the deflector portion for receiving cooling fluid therein. The cooling opening extends circumferentially within the deflector portion. Cooling fluid discharged from the cooling opening is used for film cooling a portion of the deflector portion to facilitate reducing an operating temperature and extending a useful life of the combustor.

Methods and apparatus for cooling gas turbine engine combustors

A one-piece deflector-flare cone assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor that facilitates extending a useful life of the combustor in a cost-effective and reliable manner is described. The one-piece assembly includes a deflector portion and a flare cone portion. The deflector portion includes an integral opening that extends through the deflector portion for receiving cooling fluid therein. The cooling opening extends circumferentially within the deflector portion. Cooling fluid discharged from the cooling opening is used for impingement cooling a portion of the flare cone portion to facilitate reducing an operating temperature and extending a useful life of the combustor.

A two-stage fuel nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine. The primary combustion region is centrally positioned and includes a fuel injector that is surrounded by one or more swirl chambers to provide a fuel air mixture that is ignited to define a first stage combustion zone. A secondary combustion region is provided by an annular housing that surrounds the primary combustion region, and it includes a secondary fuel injector having a radially outwardly directed opening and surrounded by an annular ring that includes openings for providing a swirl chamber for the secondary combustion region. Cooling air is directed angularly between the primary and secondary combustion zones to delay intermixing and thereby allow more complete combustion of the respective zones prior to their coalescing further downstream. The primary combustion region is activated during idle and low engine power conditions and both the primary and secondary combustion regions are activated during high engine power conditions.

Fuel nozzle assembly for reduced exhaust emissions

An annular combustor includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending dilution poles disposed in an intermediate zone thereof between a forward combustion zone and an aft combustion zone. Adjacent ones of the dilution poles define therebetween a throat for receiving the combustion gases from the forward zone. The dilution poles include circumferentially facing dilution holes for injecting dilution air into the throats for mixing with the combustion gases being channeled therethrough. The dilution poles are effective for blocking the combustion gases at a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart locations and accelerating the combustion gases through the throats for reducing residence time in the throat. The dilution air is injected through the dilution holes for improved penetration into the combustion gases in the throats for mixing therewith to form lean combustion gases which undergo final combustion in the aft zone for reducing NO.sub.x emissions.

Dilution pole combustor and method

A method of operating a double dome combustor includes channeling compressed airflow through an inner dome for generating inner combustion gases having an inner reference velocity greater than an outer reference velocity of outer combustion gases generated from compressed airflow channeled through an outer dome, and diffusing the outer and inner combustion gases in outer and inner combustion zones. One double dome combustor effective for practicing the method in accordance with the present invention includes outer and inner combustor liners and domes, with the domes having outer and inner carburetors disposed therein, respectively. The inner carburetors are sized for generating inner combustion gases in the inner combustion zone having an inner reference velocity greater than an outer reference velocity of the outer combustion gases generated in the outer combustion zone. In a preferred embodiment, the combustor includes an annular centerbody which, along with the combustor outer and inner liners, defines diverging outer and inner combustion zones.

Double dome combustor and method of operation

A combustion assembly includes a combustor having inner and outer liners, and pilot stage and main stage combustion means disposed between the liners. A turbine nozzle is joined to downstream ends of the combustor inner and outer liners and the main stage combustion means is close-coupled to the turbine nozzle for obtaining short combustion residence time of main stage combustion gases for reducing NO.sub.x emissions. In a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the invention, the combustion assembly includes first and second pluralities of circumferentially spaced fuel injectors and air swirlers disposed radially outwardly of a plurality of circumferentially spaced hollow flameholders having fuel discharge holes. Pilot stage combustion is effected downstream of the first and second fuel injectors and swirlers, and main stage combustion is effected downstream of the flameholders. The flameholders are disposed downstream of the first and second fuel ejectors and swirlers and close-coupled to the turbine nozzle for obtaining the short combustion residence time.

Lean staged combustion assembly

A gas turbine engine carburetor including an annular swirler and a new and improved fuel injector cooperating therewith is disclosed which is effective for providing low BTU gaseous fuel to a combustor. The swirler includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced swirler vanes effective for channeling air along an annular inner surface of the swirler. The fuel injector includes a hollow injector tip having an aft portion including a plurality of circumferentially spaced outlet apertures disposed in an outer surface thereof. The outer surface is aligned obliquely to a longitudinal centerline axis of the injector tip and the swirler.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Paul Edward Sabla