Removable afterburner flameholder

Abstract

A flameholder is disclosed for use in an afterburner of an aircraft gas turbine engine. The flameholder comprises at least one annular ring and a plurality of open ended slots around the forward end of the ring with the open end of each slot open through the forward edge of the ring for accepting a plurality of fuel spraybars. One particular embodiment provides two or more sub-pluralities of slots having two or more differing axial lengths to accommodate different axially spaced sub-pluralities of spraybars such as primary and pilot spraybars. A fastening means is provided for attaching the annular ring to the outer engine casing and is accessible through the exhaust nozzle of the engine. One embodiment provides a fastening means with an anti-rotation means on a connecting link into which a bolt head may be slipped and held from rotating during torquing of a nut. Another feature of the present invention is the use of a bolt having a thread diameter smaller than the bolt shank diameter which is particularly useful when the threads are seized due to high temperature exposure. Overtorqing the nut will fail the bolt at the threads facilitating removal of the flameholder.